Google Chrome#Incognito mode

{{See also|History of Google}}

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt opposed the development of an independent web browser for six years. He stated that "at the time, Google was a small company", and he did not want to go through "bruising browser wars". Company co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page hired several Mozilla Firefox developers and built a demonstration of Chrome. Afterwards, Schmidt said, "It was so good that it essentially forced me to change my mind."{{cite web |last=Angwin |first=Julia |author-link=Julia Angwin |date=July 9, 2009 |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/07/09/sun-valley-schmidt-didnt-want-to-build-chrome-initially-he-says/ |title=Sun Valley: Schmidt Didn't Want to Build Chrome Initially, He Says |work=WSJ Digits Blog |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805000248/https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/07/09/sun-valley-schmidt-didnt-want-to-build-chrome-initially-he-says/ |url-status=dead }}

In September 2004, rumors of Google building a web browser first appeared. Online journals and U.S. newspapers stated at the time that Google was hiring former Microsoft web developers among others. It also came shortly after the release of Mozilla Firefox 1.0, which was surging in popularity and taking market share from Internet Explorer, which had noted security problems.{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3680942.stm|title=Rumours surround Google browser|date=September 23, 2004|via=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=September 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924040545/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3680942.stm|url-status=live}}

Chrome is based on the open-source code of the Chromium project. Development of the browser began in 2006,{{Cite web |title=How we designed Chrome 10 years ago |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2018/09/how-we-designed-chrome-10-years-ago.html |date=September 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210411115420/https://blog.chromium.org/2018/09/how-we-designed-chrome-10-years-ago.html |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |last1=Kurtuldu |first1=Mustafa |website=googleblog.com}} spearheaded by Sundar Pichai.{{cite web |last1=Bhardwaj |first1=Prachi |title=Larry Page has a reputation for pushing people at Google. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/larry-page-google-chrome-sundar-pichai-goals-2018-6 |website=Business Insider |access-date=January 3, 2020 |date=June 29, 2018 |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119041520/https://www.businessinsider.com/larry-page-google-chrome-sundar-pichai-goals-2018-6 |url-status=live }} Chrome was "largely developed" in Google's Kitchener office.{{Cite book |last=Howitt |first=Chuck |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1110109511 |title=BlackBerry town : how high tech success has played out for Canada's Kitchener-Waterloo |date=2019 |isbn=978-1-4594-1438-9 |publisher=James Lorimer & Company Ltd. |location=Toronto |page=212 |oclc=1110109511}}

The release announcement was originally scheduled for September 3, 2008, and a comic by Scott McCloud was to be sent to journalists and bloggers explaining the features within the new browser.{{cite web |last=McCloud |first=Scott |date=September 1, 2008 |url=https://smccloud.livejournal.com/15488.html |title=Surprise! |work=Google Blogoscoped |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-date=July 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716015207/https://smccloud.livejournal.com/15488.html |url-status=live }} Copies intended for Europe were shipped early and German blogger Philipp Lenssen of Google Blogoscoped made a scanned copy of the 38-page comic available on his website after receiving it on September 1, 2008.{{cite web |last=Lenssen |first=Philipp |date=September 1, 2008 |title=Google Chrome, Google's Browser Project |url=https://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-09-01-n47.html |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901232919/http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-09-01-n47.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last=Lenssen |first=Philipp |date=September 1, 2008 |title=Google on Google Chrome – comic book |url=https://blogoscoped.com/google-chrome/ |work=Google Blogoscoped |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901232927/http://blogoscoped.com/google-chrome/ |url-status=dead}} Google subsequently made the comic available on Google Books,{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/|title=Google Chrome comic|work=Google Book Search|date=September 1, 2008|access-date=September 2, 2008|archive-date=February 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211000337/http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/|url-status=live}} and mentioned it on their official blog along with an explanation for the early release. The product was named "Chrome" as an initial development project code name, because it is associated with fast cars and speed. Google kept the development project name as the final release name, as a "cheeky" or ironic moniker, as one of the main aims was to minimize the user interface chrome.{{cite news|url = https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/sundar-pichai-of-google-talks-about-phone-intrusion/|title = Sundar Pichai of Google Talks About Phone Intrusion|access-date = April 25, 2019|last = Dougerty|first = Conor|date = July 12, 2015| work = The New York Times|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150719034413/https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/sundar-pichai-of-google-talks-about-phone-intrusion/|archive-date = July 19, 2015}}

File:File-Chromium-Linux-Alpha.png

The browser was first publicly released, officially as a beta version,{{cite web |url=https://www.doeswhat.com/2008/09/02/it-was-when-not-if-google-chrome/ |title=It was when not if... Google Chrome |date=September 2008 |access-date=June 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208060704/https://doeswhat.com/2008/09/02/it-was-when-not-if-google-chrome/ |archive-date=December 8, 2016 |url-status=unfit}} on September 2, 2008, for Windows XP and newer, and with support for 43 languages, and later as a "stable" public release on December 11, 2008. On that same day, a CNET news item drew attention to a passage in the Terms of Service statement for the initial beta release, which seemed to grant to Google a license to all content transferred via the Chrome browser.{{cite web |first=Ina |last=Fried |title=Be sure to read Chrome's fine print |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/be-sure-to-read-chromes-fine-print/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=October 7, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310135925/https://www.cnet.com/news/be-sure-to-read-chromes-fine-print/ |url-status=live }} This passage was inherited from the general Google terms of service.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/ |title=Google Terms of Service – Policies & Principles – Google |website=Google.com |date=March 1, 2012 |access-date=March 30, 2013 |archive-date=January 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125031300/http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/ |url-status=live }} Google responded to this criticism immediately by stating that the language used was borrowed from other products, and removed this passage from the Terms of Service.

Chrome quickly gained about 1% usage share.{{cite web |first1=Sundar |last1=Pichai |first2=Linus |last2=Upson |title=A fresh take on the browser |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html |website=Official Google Blog |date=September 1, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315022315/https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |first=Rafe |last=Needleman |title=Google Chrome update: First screenshot, and live-blog alert |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-chrome-update-first-screenshot-and-live-blog-alert/ |website=CNET |publisher=Red Ventures |date=September 2, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105144055/https://www.cnet.com/news/google-chrome-update-first-screenshot-and-live-blog-alert/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/google-launches-chrome-web-browser-1.710550 |title=Google launches Chrome web browser |date=September 2, 2008 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=The Canadian Press |access-date=September 2, 2008 |archive-date=September 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906201157/http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/09/01/google-browser.html |url-status=live }} After the initial surge, usage share dropped until it hit a low of 0.69% in October 2008. It then started rising again and by December 2008, Chrome again passed the 1% threshold.{{cite news |first=Wolfgang |last=Gruener |url=https://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40575/113/ |title=Google Chrome crosses 1% market share again |publisher=TG Daily |location=Chicago (IL), United States |date=January 3, 2009 |access-date=July 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310161357/https://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40575/113 |archive-date=March 10, 2009 }} In early January 2009, CNET reported that Google planned to release versions of Chrome for macOS and Linux in the first half of the year.{{cite web |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |title=Chrome gets Mac deadline, extensions foundation |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/chrome-gets-mac-deadline-extensions-foundation/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=January 9, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312054319/https://www.cnet.com/news/chrome-gets-mac-deadline-extensions-foundation/ |url-status=live }} The first official macOS and Linux developer previews of Chrome were announced on June 4, 2009,{{cite web |url=https://dev.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel |title=Early Access Release Channels |website=dev.chromium.org |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408220414/http://dev.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel |url-status=live }} with a blog post saying they were missing many features and were intended for early feedback rather than general use.{{cite web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2009/06/danger-mac-and-linux-builds-available.html |title=Danger: Mac and Linux builds available |access-date=June 9, 2009 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610130456/https://blog.chromium.org/2009/06/danger-mac-and-linux-builds-available.html |url-status=live }} In December 2009, Google released beta versions of Chrome for macOS and Linux.{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Larson |title=Beta Update: Linux, Mac, and Windows |url=https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2009/12/beta-update-linux-mac-and-windows.html |website=Chrome Releases |date=December 8, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312041330/https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2009/12/beta-update-linux-mac-and-windows.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |first=Brian |last=Rakowski |title=Google Chrome for the holidays: Mac, Linux and extensions in beta |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/12/google-chrome-for-holidays-mac-linux.html |website=Official Google Blog |date=December 8, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042344/https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/12/google-chrome-for-holidays-mac-linux.html |url-status=live }} Google Chrome 5.0, announced on May 25, 2010, was the first stable release to support all three platforms.{{cite web |first=Brian |last=Rakowski |title=A new Chrome stable release: Welcome, Mac and Linux! |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2010/05/new-chrome-stable-release-welcome-mac.html |website=Chrome Blog |date=May 25, 2010 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312045837/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2010/05/new-chrome-stable-release-welcome-mac.html |url-status=live }}

Chrome was one of the twelve browsers offered on BrowserChoice.eu to European Economic Area users of Microsoft Windows in 2010.{{cite news |url= https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537763.stm |title= Microsoft offers browser choices to Europeans |work= BBC News |date= March 1, 2010 |access-date= July 11, 2012 |archive-date= February 15, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220215191627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537763.stm |url-status= live }}

Chrome was assembled from 25 different code libraries from Google and third parties such as Mozilla's Netscape Portable Runtime, Network Security Services, NPAPI (dropped as of version 45),{{cite web|url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation|title=NPAPI deprecation: developer guide – The Chromium Projects|work=chromium.org|access-date=September 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121110102/https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation|archive-date=January 21, 2021|url-status=live}} Skia Graphics Engine, SQLite, and a number of other open-source projects.{{cite web |url=https://catonmat.net/blog/code-reuse-in-google-chrome-browser/ |title=Code reuse in Google Chrome Browser |last=Krumins |first=Peteris |date=September 5, 2008 |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112150228/http://www.catonmat.net/blog/code-reuse-in-google-chrome-browser/ |archive-date=January 12, 2019 |url-status=live}} The V8 JavaScript virtual machine was considered a sufficiently important project to be split off (as was Adobe/Mozilla's Tamarin) and handled by a separate team in Denmark coordinated by Lars Bak. According to Google, existing implementations were designed "for small programs, where the performance and interactivity of the system weren't that important", but web applications such as Gmail "are using the web browser to the fullest when it comes to DOM manipulations and JavaScript", and therefore would significantly benefit from a JavaScript engine that could work faster.

Chrome initially used the WebKit rendering engine to display web pages. In 2013, they forked the WebCore component to create their own layout engine Blink. Based on WebKit, Blink only uses WebKit's "WebCore" components, while substituting other components, such as its own multi-process architecture, in place of WebKit's native implementation. Chrome is internally tested with unit testing, automated testing of scripted user actions, fuzz testing, as well as WebKit's layout tests (99% of which Chrome is claimed to have passed), and against commonly accessed websites inside the Google index within 20–30 minutes. Google created Gears for Chrome, which added features for web developers typically relating to the building of web applications, including offline support. Google phased out Gears as the same functionality became available in the HTML5 standards.{{cite web |url=https://gearsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/hello-html5.html |title=Hello HTML5 |last=Fette |first=Ian |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=July 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908175718/http://gearsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/hello-html5.html |archive-date=September 8, 2023 |url-status=live}}

In March 2011, Google introduced a new simplified logo to replace the previous 3D logo that had been used since the project's inception. Google designer Steve Rura explained the company reasoning for the change: "Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments. A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit{{snd}}to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all."

On January 11, 2011, the Chrome product manager, Mike Jazayeri, announced that Chrome would remove H.264 video codec support for its HTML5 player, citing the desire to bring Google Chrome more in line with the currently available open codecs available in the Chromium project, which Chrome is based on.{{cite web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2011/01/html-video-codec-support-in-chrome.html |title=HTML Video Codec Support in Chrome |website=blog.chromium.org |date=January 11, 2011 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201080135/https://blog.chromium.org/2011/01/html-video-codec-support-in-chrome.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |url-status=live}} Despite this, on November 6, 2012, Google released a version of Chrome on Windows which added hardware-accelerated H.264 video decoding.{{cite web |first=Ami |last=Fischmann |title=Longer battery life and easier website permissions |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2012/11/longer-battery-life-and-easier-website.html |website=Chrome Blog |date=November 6, 2012 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=November 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129074743/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2012/11/longer-battery-life-and-easier-website.html |url-status=live }} In October 2013, Cisco announced that it was open-sourcing its H.264 codecs, and it would cover all fees required.{{cite web|url=https://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/open-source-h-264-removes-barriers-webrtc|title=Open-Sourced H.264 Removes Barriers to WebRTC|last=Trollope|first=Rowan|date=December 22, 2013|access-date=December 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706222941/https://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/open-source-h-264-removes-barriers-webrtc|archive-date=July 6, 2015|url-status=dead}}

On February 7, 2012, Google launched Google Chrome Beta for Android 4.0 devices.{{cite web | url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/google-chrome-browser-arrives-on-android-video/ | title=Google Chrome Beta arrives on Android | work=Engadget | publisher=AOL | access-date=July 11, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620042947/https://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/google-chrome-browser-arrives-on-android-video/ | archive-date=June 20, 2019 | url-status=live}} On many new devices with Android 4.1 or later preinstalled, Chrome is the default browser.{{Cite web|url=https://www.muktware.com/3779/chrome-out-beta-default-browser-android-41|title=muktware.com is coming soon|website=www.muktware.com|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316201442/http://www.muktware.com/3779/chrome-out-beta-default-browser-android-41|archive-date=March 16, 2022|url-status=dead}} In May 2017, Google announced a version of Chrome for augmented reality and virtual reality devices.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/18/chrome-is-coming-to-augmented-reality-and-google-daydream/|title=Chrome is coming to augmented reality and Google Daydream|first=Lucas|last=Matney|date=May 18, 2017|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701224055/https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/18/chrome-is-coming-to-augmented-reality-and-google-daydream/|archive-date=July 1, 2023|url-status=live}}

Google Chrome features a minimalistic user interface, with its user-interface principles later being implemented into other browsers. For example, the merging of the address bar and search bar into the omnibox or omnibar{{cite web |first=Bryan |last=Clark |title=How to Use Chrome's Omnibar to Search Gmail |url=https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/use-chrome-omnibar-to-search-gmail |website=LaptopMag |date=December 23, 2016 |language=en |access-date=December 31, 2020 |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926222603/https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/use-chrome-omnibar-to-search-gmail |url-status=live }}{{cite web |first=Rafe |last=Needleman |title=The future of the Firefox address bar |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/the-future-of-the-firefox-address-bar/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=June 12, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221220734/https://www.cnet.com/news/the-future-of-the-firefox-address-bar/ |url-status=live }} Chrome also has a reputation for strong browser performance.{{cite web |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |title=Speed test: Google Chrome beats Firefox, IE, Safari |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/speed-test-google-chrome-beats-firefox-ie-safari/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=October 7, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=January 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129152700/https://www.cnet.com/news/speed-test-google-chrome-beats-firefox-ie-safari/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://lifehacker.com/5286869/lifehacker-speed-tests-safari-4-chrome-2-and-more |title=Lifehacker Speed Tests: Safari 4, Chrome 2, and More – Browsers |last=Purdy |first=Kevin |work=Lifehacker |date=June 11, 2009 |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=December 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202112655/https://lifehacker.com/5286869/lifehacker-speed-tests-safari-4-chrome-2-and-more |url-status=dead }}

File:Acid3-Chrome4Dev.PNG test on Google Chrome 4.0]]{{Update section|date=September 2022}}

The first release of Google Chrome passed both the Acid1 and Acid2 tests. Beginning with version 4.0, Chrome passed all aspects of the Acid3 test, However as of April 2017 Chrome no longer passes Acid3 due to changing consensus on Web standards.{{Cite web |title=Validating a qualified name does not match browsers in a corner case · Issue #319 · whatwg/dom |url=https://github.com/whatwg/dom/issues/319 |access-date=21 September 2019 |website=GitHub}}{{cite web |last1=Hickson |first1=Ian |title=Acid Tests |url=http://www.acidtests.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725054426/http://www.acidtests.org/ |archive-date=25 July 2017 |access-date=7 May 2018}}

{{as of|2011|May}}, Chrome has very good support for JavaScript/ECMAScript according to Ecma International's ECMAScript standards conformance Test 262{{cite web|url=https://test262.ecmascript.org/|title=ECMAScript test262|access-date=May 6, 2011|work=ECMAScript.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514205704/https://test262.ecmascript.org/|archive-date=May 14, 2011}} (version ES5.1 May 18, 2012). This test reports as the final score the number of tests a browser failed; hence lower scores are better. In this test, Chrome version 37 scored 10 failed/11,578 passed. For comparison, Firefox 19 scored 193 failed/11,752 passed and Internet Explorer 9 had a score of 600+ failed, while Internet Explorer 10 had a score of 7 failed.

In 2011, on the official CSS 2.1 test suite by standardization organization W3C, WebKit, the Chrome rendering engine, passed 89.75% (89.38% out of 99.59% covered) CSS 2.1 tests.{{cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/Test/CSS2.1/20110323/reports/results.html|title=CSS 2.1 Test Suite RC6 Results|access-date=May 6, 2011|publisher=W3C|archive-date=May 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512145749/https://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/Test/CSS2.1/20110323/reports/results.html|url-status=live}}

On the HTML5 web standards test, Chrome 41 scored 518 out of 555 points, placing it ahead of the five most popular desktop browsers.{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/s/b204eb264a8b047b.html|title=HTML5 test desktop|access-date=March 19, 2015|publisher=Visred|archive-date=August 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807162350/http://html5test.com/s/b204eb264a8b047b.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/results/desktop.html|title=HTML5 test desktop browser comparison|access-date=March 19, 2015|publisher=Visred|archive-date=August 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806200904/http://html5test.com/results/desktop.html|url-status=live}} Chrome 41 on Android scored 510 out of 555 points.{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/s/3fb179264a332e3d.html|title=HTML5 test Android Chrome 41 Galaxy S5|access-date=March 19, 2015|publisher=Visred|archive-date=July 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701224041/https://html5test.com/s/3fb179264a332e3d.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/results/mobile.html|title=HTML5 test tablet|access-date=March 19, 2015|publisher=Sights|archive-date=July 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708090641/http://html5test.com/results/mobile.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/results/tablet.html|title=HTML5 test mobile|access-date=March 19, 2015|publisher=Sights|archive-date=August 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826175055/http://html5test.com/results/tablet.html|url-status=live}} Chrome 44 scored 526, only 29 points less than the maximum score.{{cite web|url=https://html5test.com/compare/browser/chrome-44.html|title=HTML5test – How well does your browser support HTML5?|work=html5test.com|access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-date=December 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230145217/http://html5test.com/compare/browser/chrome-44.html|url-status=live}}

{{Multiple image

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| width = 150

| header = Google Chrome logos

| image1 = Google Chrome icon (2011).svg

| caption1 = 2D motif from March 2011 until October 2015

| image2 = Google Chrome for Android Icon 2016.svg

| caption2 = Material Design motif used from September 2014 onward for mobile versions and October 2015 onward for desktop versions

| image3 = Google Chrome icon (February 2022).svg

| caption3 = New Google Chrome logo from 2022. It has increased brightness and clarity compared to the previous logo.

}}

By default, the main user interface includes back, forward, refresh/cancel and menu buttons. A home button is not shown by default, but can be added through the Settings page to take the user to the new tab page or a custom home page.{{cite web |date=September 23, 2021 |title=Set your home page |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95314 |access-date=February 6, 2022 |website=support.google.com |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922135645/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95314 |url-status=live }}

Tabs are the main component of Chrome's user interface and have been moved to the top of the window rather than below the controls. This subtle change contrasts with many existing tabbed browsers which are based on windows and contain tabs. Tabs, with their state, can be transferred between window containers by dragging. Each tab has its own set of controls, including the Omnibox.

The Omnibox is a URL box that combines the functions of both the address bar and search box. If a user enters the URL of a site previously searched from, Chrome allows pressing Tab to search the site again directly from the Omnibox. When a user starts typing in the Omnibox, Chrome provides suggestions for previously visited sites (based on the URL or in-page text), popular websites (not necessarily visited before{{snd}}powered by Google Instant), and popular searches. Although Instant can be turned off, suggestions based on previously visited sites cannot be turned off. Chrome will also autocomplete the URLs of sites visited often. If a user types keywords into the Omnibox that do not match any previously visited websites and presses enter, Chrome will conduct the search using the default search engine.

One of Chrome's differentiating features is the New Tab Page, which can replace the browser home page and is displayed when a new tab is created. Originally, this showed thumbnails of the nine most visited websites, along with frequent searches, recent bookmarks, and recently closed tabs; similar to Internet Explorer and Firefox with Google Toolbar, or Opera's Speed Dial. In Google Chrome 2.0, the New Tab Page was updated to allow users to hide thumbnails they did not want to appear.{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Darin |date=May 21, 2009 |title=A Speedier Google Chrome for all users |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2009/05/speedier-google-chrome-for-all-users.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Chrome Blog |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701223944/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2009/05/speedier-google-chrome-for-all-users.html |url-status=live }}

Starting in version 3.0, the New Tab Page was revamped to display thumbnails of the eight most visited websites. The thumbnails could be rearranged, pinned, and removed. Alternatively, a list of text links could be displayed instead of thumbnails. It also features a "Recently closed" bar that shows recently closed tabs and a "tips" section that displays hints and tricks for using the browser.{{cite web |last=LaForge |first=Anthony |date=September 15, 2009 |title=Google Chrome after a year: Sporting a new stable release |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/09/google-chrome-after-year-sporting-new.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Official Google Blog |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108034718/https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/09/google-chrome-after-year-sporting-new.html |url-status=live }} Starting with Google Chrome 3.0, users can install themes to alter the appearance of the browser.{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Glen |last2=Sabec |first2=Mark |date=October 5, 2009 |title=A splash of color to your browser: Artist Themes for Google Chrome |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2009/10/splash-of-color-to-your-browser-artist.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Chrome Blog |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701224325/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2009/10/splash-of-color-to-your-browser-artist.html |url-status=live }} Many free third-party themes are provided in an online gallery,{{cite web |title=Chrome Web Store |url=https://tools.google.com/chrome/intl/en/themes/index.html |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=April 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423224337/https://tools.google.com/chrome/intl/en/themes/index.html |url-status=live }} accessible through a "Get themes" button in Chrome's options.{{cite web |title=Basic settings: Change browser theme |url=https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?&answer=148695 |work=Google Chrome Help |access-date=November 26, 2018 |archive-date=September 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904200901/https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?&answer=148695 |url-status=live }}

Chrome includes a bookmarks submenu that lists the user's bookmarks, provides easy access to Chrome's Bookmark Manager, and allows the user to toggle a bookmarks bar on or off.

On January 2, 2019, Google introduced Native Dark Theme for Chrome on Windows 10.Danica Simic, ValueWalk. "[https://www.valuewalk.com/2019/01/dark-theme-for-chrome-on-windows-10/ Google To Introduce Native Dark Theme For Chrome On Windows 10]." January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.

In 2023, it was announced that Chrome would be completely revamped, using Google's Material You design language, the revamp would include more rounded corners, Chrome colors being swapped out for a similar dynamic color system introduced in Android 12, a revamped address bar, new icons and tabs, and a more simplified 3 dot menu.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-18 |title=Google is preparing a "super secret" Chrome UI refresh for next year |url=https://chromeunboxed.com/google-chrome-2023-refresh-design |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Chrome Unboxed - The Latest Chrome OS News |language=en-us |archive-date=May 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519120901/https://chromeunboxed.com/google-chrome-2023-refresh-design |url-status=live }}

Starting with Google Chrome 4.1, the application added a built-in translation bar using Google Translate. Language translation is currently available for 52 languages.{{cite web |title=Change Chrome languages & translate webpages |url=https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?hlrm=ru&answer=173424 |website=support.google.com}} When Chrome detects a foreign language other than the user's preferred language set during the installation time, it asks the user whether or not to translate.

Chrome allows users to synchronize their bookmarks, history, and settings across all devices with the browser installed by sending and receiving data through a chosen Google Account, which in turn updates all signed-in instances of Chrome. This can be authenticated either through Google credentials, or a sync passphrase.

For web developers, Chrome has an element inspector which allows users to look into the DOM and see what makes up the webpage.{{cite web |last=Gralla |first=Preston |date=September 3, 2008 |title=Three hidden Chrome features you'll love |url=https://blogs.computerworld.com/three_hidden_chrome_features_youll_love |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923064954/https://blogs.computerworld.com/three_hidden_chrome_features_youll_love |archive-date=September 23, 2008 |access-date=September 16, 2008}}

Chrome has special URLs that load application-specific pages instead of websites or files on disk. Chrome also has a built-in ability to enable experimental features. Originally called about:labs, the address was changed to about:flags to make it less obvious to casual users.{{cite web |title=Chromium url_constants.cc |url=https://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome/common/url_constants.cc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908013948/https://src.chromium.org/svn/trunk/src/chrome/common/url_constants.cc |archive-date=September 8, 2010 |access-date=September 1, 2010}}{{cite news |last=Pash |first=Adam |date=October 2010 |title=Chrome's About:Labs Renamed to About:Flags, Adds a Warning |work=LifeHacker |url=https://lifehacker.com/5667846/chromes-aboutlabs-renamed-to-aboutflags-adds-a-warning |access-date=October 19, 2010 |archive-date=December 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202070544/https://lifehacker.com/5667846/chromes-aboutlabs-renamed-to-aboutflags-adds-a-warning |url-status=dead }}

The desktop edition of Chrome is able to save pages as HTML with assets in a "_files" subfolder, or as unprocessed HTML-only document. It also offers an option to save in the MHTML format.{{cite web |last1=Gavin |first1=Brady |title=How to Save a Web Page in Chrome |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/415086/how-to-save-a-web-page-in-chrome/ |website=How-To Geek |date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=June 13, 2021 |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701224427/https://www.howtogeek.com/415086/how-to-save-a-web-page-in-chrome/ |url-status=live }}

Chrome allows users to make local desktop shortcuts that open web applications in the browser. The browser, when opened in this way, contains none of the regular interface except for the title bar, so as not to "interrupt anything the user is trying to do". This allows web applications to run alongside local software (similar to Mozilla Prism and Fluid).

This feature, according to Google, would be enhanced with the Chrome Web Store, a one-stop web-based web applications directory which opened in December 2010.{{cite web |date=May 19, 2010 |title=Chrome Web Store |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore |access-date=May 24, 2010 |archive-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224095657/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Lay |first=Erik |date=May 19, 2010 |title=The Chrome Web Store |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2010/05/chrome-web-store.html |access-date=May 24, 2010 |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701223917/https://blog.chromium.org/2010/05/chrome-web-store.html |url-status=live }}

In September 2013, Google started making Chrome apps "For your desktop". This meant offline access, desktop shortcuts, and less dependence on Chrome—apps launch in a window separate from Chrome, and look more like native applications.{{cite web |last=Kay |first=Erik |date=September 5, 2013 |title=A new breed of Chrome Apps |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2013/09/a-new-breed-of-chrome-apps.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Chrome Blog |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102055335/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2013/09/a-new-breed-of-chrome-apps.html |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Chrome Web Store}}

Announced on December 7, 2010, the Chrome Web Store allows users to install web applications as extensions to the browser, although most of these extensions function simply as links to popular web pages or games, some of the apps like Springpad do provide extra features like offline access. The themes and extensions have also been tightly integrated into the new store, allowing users to search the entire catalog of Chrome extras.{{cite web |last=Paul |first=Ryan |date=December 9, 2010 |title=Chrome Web Store: a solution in search of a problem? |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2010/12/thoughts-on-the-chrome-store-does-the-web-need-an-app-delivery-channel/ |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312050127/https://arstechnica.com/business/2010/12/thoughts-on-the-chrome-store-does-the-web-need-an-app-delivery-channel/ |url-status=live }}

The Chrome Web Store was opened on February 11, 2011, with the release of Google Chrome 9.0.{{cite web |last1=Kay |first1=Erik |last2=Boodman |first2=Aaron |date=February 3, 2011 |title=A dash of speed, 3D and apps |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2011/02/dash-of-speed-3d-and-apps.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Chrome Blog |archive-date=February 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202005705/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2011/02/dash-of-speed-3d-and-apps.html |url-status=live }}

Browser extensions are able to modify Google Chrome. They are supported by the browser's desktop edition,{{cite web |last=Rakowski |first=Brian |date=December 8, 2009 |title=Google Chrome Extensions Blog Announcement |url=https://chrome.blogspot.com/2009/12/google-chrome-for-holidays-mac-linux.html |access-date=February 25, 2010 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002558/http://chrome.blogspot.com/2009/12/google-chrome-for-holidays-mac-linux.html |url-status=live }} but not on mobile. These extensions are written using web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.{{cite web |title=Google Chrome Extensions Help Page |url=https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=154007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208233953/https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=154007 |archive-date=February 8, 2010 |access-date=February 25, 2010}} They are distributed through Chrome Web Store,{{cite news |last=Nield |first=David |date=April 20, 2012 |title=20 best Chrome extensions |work=TechRadar |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/20-best-chrome-extensions-1076933 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503224933/https://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/20-best-chrome-extensions-1076933 |archive-date=May 3, 2012}} initially known as the Google Chrome Extensions Gallery. Some extensions focus on providing accessibility features. Google Tone is an extension developed by Google that when enabled, can use a computer's speakers to exchange URLs with nearby computers with an Internet connection that have the extension enabled as well.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-19 |title=Google Tone is a Chrome extension for sharing URLs with nearby computers using sound |url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/05/19/google-tone-is-a-chrome-extension-for-sharing-urls-with-nearby-computers-using-sound/ |access-date=2019-08-11 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US |archive-date=January 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127055402/https://venturebeat.com/2015/05/19/google-tone-is-a-chrome-extension-for-sharing-urls-with-nearby-computers-using-sound/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Google's Tone Chrome Extension Lets You Share URLs By Sound |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/05/19/googles-tone-chrome-extension-lets-you-share-urls-by-sound/ |access-date=2019-08-11 |website=TechCrunch |date=May 19, 2015 |language=en-US}}

On September 9, 2009, Google enabled extensions by default on Chrome's developer channel, and provided several sample extensions for testing.{{cite web |last=Boodman |first=Aaron |date=September 9, 2009 |title=Extensions Status: On the Runway, Getting Ready for Take-Off |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2009/09/extensions-status-on-runway-getting.html |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=July 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718013915/https://blog.chromium.org/2009/09/extensions-status-on-runway-getting.html |url-status=live }} In December, the Google Chrome Extensions Gallery beta began with approximately 300 extensions.{{cite news |last=Kay |first=Erik |date=December 8, 2009 |title=Extensions beta launched, with over 300 extensions! |newspaper=Chromium Blog |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2009/12/extensions-beta-launched-with-over-300.html |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=February 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207025523/https://blog.chromium.org/2009/12/extensions-beta-launched-with-over-300.html |url-status=live }} It was launched on January 25, 2010, along with Google Chrome 4.0, containing approximately 1500 extensions.{{cite web |last=Baum |first=Nick |date=January 25, 2010 |title=Over 1,500 new features for Google Chrome |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2010/01/over-1500-new-features-for-google.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Chrome Blog |archive-date=June 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621203602/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2010/01/over-1500-new-features-for-google.html |url-status=live }}

In 2014, Google started preventing some Windows users from installing extensions not hosted on the Chrome Web Store.{{Cite web |title=Chrome For Windows Will Now Only Install Extensions From Google's Web Store |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/27/chrome-for-windows-will-now-only-install-extensions-from-googles-web-store/ |access-date=December 14, 2018 |website=TechCrunch |date=May 27, 2014 |language=en-US |archive-date=March 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302113459/https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/27/chrome-for-windows-will-now-only-install-extensions-from-googles-web-store/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Protecting Chrome users from malicious extensions |url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2014/05/protecting-chrome-users-from-malicious.html |access-date=December 14, 2018 |website=Google Chrome Blog |language=en |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614171208/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2014/05/protecting-chrome-users-from-malicious.html |url-status=live }} The following year Google reported a "75% drop in customer support help requests for uninstalling unwanted extensions" which led them to expand this restriction to all Windows and Mac users.{{Cite web |title=Continuing to protect Chrome users from malicious extensions |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2015/05/continuing-to-protect-chrome-users-from.html |access-date=December 15, 2018 |website=Chromium Blog |language=en |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619125359/https://blog.chromium.org/2015/05/continuing-to-protect-chrome-users-from.html |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Google Chrome#Manifest V3 2|label 1=§ Criticism of Manifest V3}}

In October 2018, Google announced a major future update to Chrome's extension API, known as "Manifest V3" (in reference to the manifest file contained within extensions). Manifest V3 is intended to modernize the extension architecture and improve the security and performance of the browser; it adopts declarative APIs to "decrease the need for overly-broad access and enable more performant implementation by the browser", replaces background pages with feature-limited "Service Workers" to reduce resource usage, and prohibits remotely-hosted code.{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |title=If my calculations are correct, when Google Chrome hits version 88, you're gonna see some serious... security |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/chrome_88_manifestv3/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=The Register |language=en |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122211952/https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/chrome_88_manifestv3/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Trustworthy Chrome Extensions, by default |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2018/10/trustworthy-chrome-extensions-by-default.html |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Chromium Blog |language=en |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122211953/https://blog.chromium.org/2018/10/trustworthy-chrome-extensions-by-default.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2021-01-19 |title=New in Chrome 88 |url=https://developer.chrome.com/blog/new-in-chrome-88/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Chrome for Developers |language=en |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122211952/https://developer.chrome.com/blog/new-in-chrome-88/ |url-status=live }}

Google faced a criticism for this change since it limits the number of rules and types of expressions that may be checked by adblockers. Additionally, the prohibition of remotely-hosted code will restrict the ability for adblocking filter lists to be updated independently of the extension itself.{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Kyle |date=January 29, 2019 |title=Google Chrome's Manifest V3 proposal would stop Tampermonkey from working |url=https://9to5google.com/2019/01/29/chrome-manifest-v3-tampermonkey/ |work=9to5Google}}{{Cite web |last=Taqiah |first=Durrah |date=17 November 2022 |title=The challenges of Google's Manifest V3 and what they mean for ad filtering |url=https://resources.eyeo.com/challenges-manifest-v3-ad-filtering |website=eye/o}}

{{Category see also|Google Chrome extensions}}

{{colbegin|colwidth=20em}}

• Adblock Plus{{cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb |title=Chrome Web Store – Adblock Plus (Beta) |access-date=May 16, 2012 |archive-date=August 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808115523/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb |url-status=live }} (no longer available from Google due to an update on the terms of use on Chrome)
• Adblock for Chrome (no longer available from Google due to an update on the terms of use on Chrome)
• Cut the Rope
• Dropbox
• Evernote Web
• Facebook Messenger{{cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/facebook-messenger/ecmfchgfmbbddembehpkopmhjiepcckd |title=Chrome Web Store – Facebook Messenger |publisher=oinkandstuff.com |access-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-date=September 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901150321/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/facebook-messenger/ecmfchgfmbbddembehpkopmhjiepcckd |url-status=dead }}
• Ghostery
• Google Maps
• HTTPS Everywhere (discontinued)
• Pandora Radio
• Pixlr Express
• Privacy Badger
• Streamus (discontinued)
• TweetDeck
• Stop Tony Meow (discontinued)
• uBlock Origin{{cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm |title=Chrome Web Store – uBlock Origin |access-date=May 16, 2012 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205025700/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm |url-status=live }} (no longer available due to terms of use change on Chrome)

{{colend}}

The JavaScript virtual machine used by Chrome, the V8 JavaScript engine, has features such as dynamic code generation, hidden class transitions, and precise garbage collection.

In 2008, several websites performed benchmark tests using the SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark tool as well as Google's own set of computationally intense benchmarks, which include ray tracing and constraint solving.{{cite web |title=V8 Benchmark suite |url=https://code.google.com/apis/v8/run.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904201317/https://code.google.com/apis/v8/run.html |archive-date=September 4, 2008 |access-date=September 3, 2008 |work=Google Code}} They unanimously reported that Chrome performed much faster than all competitors against which it had been tested, including Safari (for Windows), Firefox 3.0, Internet Explorer 7, Opera, and Internet Explorer 8.{{cite web |last=Goodwins |first=Rupert |date=September 2, 2008 |title=Google Chrome – first benchmarks. Summary: wow |url=https://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10009139o-2000331777b,00.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903125550/https://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0%2C1000000567%2C10009139o-2000331777b%2C00.htm |archive-date=September 3, 2008}}{{cite web |date=September 1, 2008 |title=Google Chrome Javascript Benchmarks |url=https://jrm.cc/google-chrome-javascript-benchmarks |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107133154/https://jrm.cc/google-chrome-javascript-benchmarks |archive-date=January 7, 2012 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |website=jrm.cc}}{{cite web |last=Kingsley-Hughes |first=Adrian |date=September 2, 2008 |title=Google Chrome is insanely fast ... faster than Firefox 3.0 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-is-insanely-fast-faster-than-firefox-3-0/ |work=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701224439/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-is-insanely-fast-faster-than-firefox-3-0/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Limi |first=Alexander |date=September 2, 2008 |title=Chrome: Benchmarks and more |url=https://limi.net/articles/google-chrome-benchmarks-and-more |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424030617/https://limi.net/articles/google-chrome-benchmarks-and-more |archive-date=April 24, 2010 |access-date=May 13, 2010}}{{cite web |last=Lipskas |first=Vygantas |date=March 1, 2009 |title=Safari 4 vs. Firefox 3 vs. Google Chrome vs. Opera 10, 9.6 vs. Internet Explorer 8, 7 |url=https://www.favbrowser.com/safari-4-vs-firefox-3-vs-google-chrome-vs-opera-10-96-vs-internet-explorer-8-7/ |access-date=May 13, 2010 |website=Favbrowser |archive-date=May 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501013649/http://www.favbrowser.com/safari-4-vs-firefox-3-vs-google-chrome-vs-opera-10-96-vs-internet-explorer-8-7/ |url-status=dead }} However, on October 11, 2010, independent tests of JavaScript performance, Chrome has been scoring just behind Opera's Presto engine since it was updated in version 10.5.{{cite web |author=Scott M. Fulton, III |date=October 11, 2010 |title=Firefox in the dust: Opera poised to reclaim browser performance lead |url=https://net1news.com/101011-01-firefox-in-the-dust.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714163918/https://net1news.com/101011-01-firefox-in-the-dust.aspx |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |access-date=November 6, 2010}}

On September 3, 2008, Mozilla responded by stating that their own TraceMonkey JavaScript engine (then in beta), was faster than Chrome's V8 engine in some tests.{{cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=October 7, 2008 |title=Firefox counters Google's browser speed test |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/firefox-counters-googles-browser-speed-test/ |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |archive-date=January 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129035606/https://www.cnet.com/news/firefox-counters-googles-browser-speed-test/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Eich |first=Brendan |author-link=Brendan Eich |date=September 3, 2008 |title=TraceMonkey Update |url=https://brendaneich.com/2008/09/tracemonkey-update/ |access-date=February 27, 2013 |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701223801/https://brendaneich.com/2008/09/tracemonkey-update/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=November 3, 2008 |title=Third Chrome beta another notch faster – News |url=https://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Third-Chrome-beta-another-notch-faster/0,339028227,339292979,00.htm?feed=pt_performance |access-date=May 13, 2010 |website=Builder AU |archive-date=October 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005200226/http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Third-Chrome-beta-another-notch-faster/0,339028227,339292979,00.htm?feed=pt_performance |url-status=dead }} John Resig, Mozilla's JavaScript evangelist, further commented on the performance of different browsers on Google's own suite, commenting on Chrome's "decimating" of the other browsers, but he questioned whether Google's suite was representative of real programs. He stated that Firefox 3.0 performed poorly on recursion-intensive benchmarks, such as those of Google, because the Mozilla team had not implemented recursion-tracing yet.{{cite web |last=Resig |first=John |author-link=John Resig |date=September 3, 2008 |title=JavaScript Performance Rundown |url=https://ejohn.org/blog/javascript-performance-rundown/ |access-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-date=January 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106115453/http://ejohn.org/blog/javascript-performance-rundown/ |url-status=dead }}

Two weeks after Chrome's launch in 2008, the WebKit team announced a new JavaScript engine, SquirrelFish Extreme,{{cite web |last=Stachowiak |first=Maciej |date=September 18, 2008 |title=WebKit blog: Introducing SquirrelFish Extreme |url=https://webkit.org/blog/214/introducing-squirrelfish-extreme/ |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=November 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126112934/https://webkit.org/blog/214/introducing-squirrelfish-extreme/ |url-status=live }} citing a 36% speed improvement over Chrome's V8 engine.{{cite web |last=Zwarich |first=Cameron |date=September 18, 2008 |title=SquirrelFish Extreme has landed! |url=https://summerofjsc.blogspot.com/2008/09/squirrelfish-extreme-has-landed.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427090731/https://summerofjsc.blogspot.com/2008/09/squirrelfish-extreme-has-landed.html |archive-date=April 27, 2009 |access-date=May 13, 2010}}{{cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=September 22, 2008 |title=Step aside, Chrome, for Squirrelfish Extreme – News |url=https://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Step-aside-Chrome-for-Squirrelfish-Extreme/0,339028227,339292128,00.htm?feed=pt_performance |access-date=May 13, 2010 |website=Builder AU |archive-date=October 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006214858/http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Step-aside-Chrome-for-Squirrelfish-Extreme/0,339028227,339292128,00.htm?feed=pt_performance |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last=Ying |first=Charles |date=September 19, 2008 |title=SquirrelFish Extreme: Fastest JavaScript Engine Yet |url=https://www.satine.org/archives/2008/09/19/squirrelfish-extreme-fastest-javascript-engine-yet/ |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=June 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616220016/http://www.satine.org/archives/2008/09/19/squirrelfish-extreme-fastest-javascript-engine-yet/ |url-status=dead }}

Like most major web browsers, Chrome uses DNS prefetching to speed up website lookups, as do other browsers like Firefox,{{cite web |date=November 8, 2008 |title=DNS prefetching for Firefox |url=https://bitsup.blogspot.com/2008/11/dns-prefetching-for-firefox.html |access-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215191623/https://bitsup.blogspot.com/2008/11/dns-prefetching-for-firefox.html |url-status=live }} Safari,{{cite web |author=Apple Inc. |date=June 7, 2010 |title=What's new in Safari 5 |url=https://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance |access-date=July 6, 2010 |archive-date=June 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627155532/http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#performance |url-status=live }} Internet Explorer (called DNS Pre-resolution),{{cite web |date=March 17, 2011 |title=Internet Explorer 9 Network Performance Improvements |url=https://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/17/internet-explorer-9-network-performance-improvements.aspx |access-date=April 8, 2012 |website=Blogs.msdn.com |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330054641/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/17/internet-explorer-9-network-performance-improvements.aspx |url-status=live }} and in Opera as a UserScript (not built-in).{{cite web |last=Eiras |first=João |title=Page prefetcher |url=https://userjs.org/scripts/browser/enhancements/page-prefetcher |access-date=April 8, 2012 |website=userjs.org |archive-date=March 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307145811/http://userjs.org/scripts/browser/enhancements/page-prefetcher |url-status=live }}

Chrome formerly used their now-deprecated SPDY protocol instead of only HTTP{{cite web |title=chrome] Index of /trunk/src/net/spdy – Chromium SPDY client implementation |url=https://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/net/spdy/ |access-date=April 8, 2012 |website=src.chromium.org |archive-date=June 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624200900/http://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/net/spdy/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=SPDY Proxy Examples – The Chromium Projects |url=https://www.chromium.org/spdy/spdy-proxy-examples |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919141654/https://www.chromium.org/spdy/spdy-proxy-examples |archive-date=September 19, 2017 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |website=www.chromium.org}} when communicating with servers that support it, such as Google services, Facebook, Twitter. SPDY support was removed in Chrome version 51. This was due to SPDY being replaced by HTTP/2, a standard that was based upon it.

In November 2019, Google said it was working on several "speed badging" systems that let visitors know why a page is taking time to show up. The variations include simple text warnings and more subtle signs that indicate a site is slow. No date has been given for when the badging system will be included with the Chrome browser.{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2019 |title=Moving towards a faster web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2019/11/moving-towards-faster-web.html |website=Chromium Blog |access-date=November 13, 2019 |archive-date=November 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113083630/https://blog.chromium.org/2019/11/moving-towards-faster-web.html |url-status=live }}

Chrome formerly supported a Data Saver feature for making pages load faster called Lite Mode.{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2019 |title=Data Saver is now Lite mode |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2019/04/data-saver-is-now-lite-mode.html |website=Chromium Blog |access-date=April 2, 2022 |archive-date=April 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402004246/https://blog.chromium.org/2019/04/data-saver-is-now-lite-mode.html |url-status=live }} Previously, Chrome engineers Addy Osmani and Scott Little announced Lite Mode would automatically lazy-load images and iframes for faster page loads.{{Cite web |date=October 24, 2019 |title=Automatically lazy-loading offscreen images & iframes for Lite mode users |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2019/10/automatically-lazy-loading-offscreen.html |website=Chromium Blog |access-date=April 2, 2022 |archive-date=June 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605210114/https://blog.chromium.org/2019/10/automatically-lazy-loading-offscreen.html |url-status=live }} Lite Mode was switched off in Chrome 100, citing a decrease in mobile data costs for many countries.{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Sunsetting Chrome Lite mode in M100 and older |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/151853370 |website=Google Chrome Help |access-date=April 2, 2022 |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621063545/https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/151853370 |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Browser security}}

Chrome periodically retrieves updates of two blacklists (one for phishing and one for malware), and warns users when they attempt to visit a site flagged as potentially harmful. This service is also made available for use by others via a free public API called "Google Safe Browsing API".

Chrome uses a process-allocation model to sandbox tabs.{{cite web |url=https://blog.marcchung.com/2008/09/05/chromes-process-model-explained.html |title=chromes-process model explained |first=Marc |last=Chung |date=September 5, 2008 |access-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321110910/https://blog.marcchung.com/2008/09/05/chromes-process-model-explained.html |archive-date=March 21, 2009 }} Using the principle of least privilege, each tab process cannot interact with critical memory functions (e.g. OS memory, user files) or other tab processes{{snd}}similar to Microsoft's "Protected Mode" used by Internet Explorer 9 or greater. The Sandbox Team is said to have "taken this existing process boundary and made it into a jail". This enforces a computer security model whereby there are two levels of multilevel security (user and sandbox) and the sandbox can only respond to communication requests initiated by the user.{{cite web|first1=Adam|last1=Barth|first2=Collin|last2=Jackson|first3=Charles|last3=Reis|collaboration=The Google Chrome Team|title=The Security Architecture of the Chromium Browser|publisher=Stanford Security Laboratory|url=https://crypto.stanford.edu/websec/chromium/chromium-security-architecture.pdf|access-date=September 11, 2008|archive-date=September 13, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913152646/http://crypto.stanford.edu/websec/chromium/chromium-security-architecture.pdf|url-status=live}} On Linux sandboxing uses the seccomp mode.{{cite web|last=Gutschke|first=Markus|title=Re: (PATCH 2/2) x86-64: seccomp: fix 32/64 syscall hole|url=https://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ports.sparc/11622|date=May 6, 2009|access-date=February 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624200851/https://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ports.sparc/11622|archive-date=June 24, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Edge|first=Jake|title=Google's Chromium sandbox|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/347547/|date=August 19, 2009|access-date=February 17, 2011|archive-date=December 5, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205042107/http://lwn.net/Articles/347547/|url-status=live}}

In January 2015, TorrentFreak reported that using Chrome when connected to the internet using a VPN can be a serious security issue due to the browser's support for WebRTC.[https://torrentfreak.com/huge-security-flaw-leaks-vpn-users-real-ip-addresses-150130/ Huge Security Flaw Leaks VPN Users' Real IP-addresses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222081035/http://torrentfreak.com/huge-security-flaw-leaks-vpn-users-real-ip-addresses-150130/ |date=February 22, 2015 }} TorrentFreak.com (January 30, 2015). Retrieved on February 21, 2015.

On September 9, 2016, it was reported that starting with Chrome 56, users will be warned when they visit insecure HTTP websites to encourage more sites to make the transition to HTTPS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insightportal.io/desktop-browsers/846-chrome-will-start-flagging-insecure-http-sites|title=InsightPortal {{!}} QualityTaskForce {{!}} Chrome will start flagging insecure HTTP sites|last=Bates|first=Adam|website=www.insightportal.io|language=en-gb|access-date=August 8, 2017|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801042408/https://www.insightportal.io/desktop-browsers/846-chrome-will-start-flagging-insecure-http-sites|url-status=live}}

On December 4, 2018, Google announced its Chrome 71 release with new security features, including a built-in ad featuring system. In addition, Google also announced its plan to crack down on websites that make people involuntarily subscribe to mobile subscription plans.Cimpanu, Catalin, ZDNet. "[https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-releases-chrome-71-with-a-focus-on-security-features/ Google releases Chrome 71 with a focus on security features] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093321/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-releases-chrome-71-with-a-focus-on-security-features/ |date=November 8, 2020 }}." December 4, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2019.

On September 2, 2020, with the release of Chrome 85, Google extended support for Secure DNS in Chrome for Android. DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), was designed to improve safety and privacy while browsing the web. Under the update, Chrome automatically switches to DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), if the current DNS provider supports the feature.{{cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/google-chrome-android-adds-secure-dns-safer-private-browsing/|title=Google Chrome for Android adds Secure DNS for safer, more private browsing|access-date=September 3, 2020|website=XDA Developers|date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027155614/https://www.xda-developers.com/google-chrome-android-adds-secure-dns-safer-private-browsing/|url-status=live}}

Since 2008, Chrome has been faulted for not including a master password to prevent casual access to a user's passwords. Chrome developers have indicated that a master password does not provide real security against determined hackers and have refused to implement one. Bugs filed on this issue have been marked "WontFix".{{cite web | url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=53 | title=Issue 53 – chromium – No Master Password Option | date=September 2, 2008 | access-date=August 13, 2013 | archive-date=January 9, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109080155/http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=53 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | last=Kember | first=Elliott | url=https://mashable.com/2013/08/07/chrome-password-security/ | title=Chrome's Password Security Strategy Is Insane | website=Mashable.com | date=August 7, 2013 | access-date=August 13, 2013 | archive-date=August 13, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813215655/http://mashable.com/2013/08/07/chrome-password-security/ | url-status=live }} {{As of|2014|02}}, Google Chrome asks the user to enter their Windows account password before showing saved passwords.{{cite web | url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=53#c151 | title=Issue 53 – chromium – No Master Password Option (post #151) | access-date=May 3, 2014 | archive-date=March 28, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328060329/http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=53#c151 | url-status=live }}

On Linux, Google Chrome/Chromium can store passwords in three ways: GNOME Keyring, KWallet or plain text. Google Chrome/Chromium chooses which store to use automatically, based on the desktop environment in use.{{cite web|title=Linux Password Storage|url=https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/docs/linux/password_storage.md|access-date=December 25, 2019

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418095643/https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/docs/linux/password_storage.md

|url-status=live|archive-date=April 18, 2021}} Passwords stored in GNOME Keyring or KWallet are encrypted on disk, and access to them is controlled by dedicated daemon software. Passwords stored in plain text are not encrypted. Because of this, when either GNOME Keyring or KWallet is in use, any unencrypted passwords that have been stored previously are automatically moved into the encrypted store. Support for using GNOME Keyring and KWallet was added in version 6, but using these (when available) was not made the default mode until version 12.

As of version 45, the Google Chrome password manager is no longer integrated with Keychain, since the interoperability goal is no longer possible.{{cite web|title=OS X Password Manager/Keychain Integration|url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/os-x-password-manager-keychain-integration/|access-date=April 28, 2022|archive-date=May 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516194123/https://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/os-x-password-manager-keychain-integration/|url-status=live}}

No security vulnerabilities in Chrome were exploited in the three years of Pwn2Own from 2009 to 2011.{{cite web|last=Keizer|first=Gregg|url=https://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9214022/Google_s_Chrome_untouched_at_Pwn2Own_hack_match|title=Google's Chrome untouched at Pwn2Own hack match|work=Computerworld|date=March 10, 2011|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=July 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707181403/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9214022/Google_s_Chrome_untouched_at_Pwn2Own_hack_match|url-status=live}} At Pwn2Own 2012, Chrome was defeated by a French team who used zero day exploits in the version of Flash shipped with Chrome to take complete control of a fully patched 64-bit Windows 7 PC using a booby-trapped website that overcame Chrome's sandboxing.{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/pwn2own-2012-google-chrome-browser-sandbox-first-to-fall/10588 |title=Pwn2Own 2012: Google Chrome browser sandbox first to fall |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=March 7, 2012 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=October 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024050135/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/pwn2own-2012-google-chrome-browser-sandbox-first-to-fall/10588 |url-status=dead }}

Chrome was compromised twice at the 2012 CanSecWest Pwnium.{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/cansecwest-pwnium-google-chrome-hacked-with-sandbox-bypass/10563 |title=CanSecWest Pwnium: Google Chrome hacked with sandbox bypass |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=March 7, 2012 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111232732/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/cansecwest-pwnium-google-chrome-hacked-with-sandbox-bypass/10563 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/teenager-hacks-google-chrome-with-three-0day-vulnerabilities/10649 |title=Teenager hacks Google Chrome with three 0day vulnerabilities |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=March 9, 2012 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=November 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112203234/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/teenager-hacks-google-chrome-with-three-0day-vulnerabilities/10649 |url-status=dead }} Google's official response to the exploits was delivered by Jason Kersey, who congratulated the researchers, noting "We also believe that both submissions are works of art and deserve wider sharing and recognition."{{cite web|url = https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/03/chrome-stable-update_10.html|title = Chrome Stable Update|access-date = March 10, 2012|last = Kersey|first = Jason|date = March 10, 2012|archive-date = March 11, 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120311191801/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/03/chrome-stable-update_10.html|url-status = live}} Fixes for these vulnerabilities were deployed within 10 hours of the submission.{{cite web |first=Dan |last=Goodin |title=Google Chrome exploit fetches "Pinkie Pie" $60,000 hacking prize |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2012/10/google-chrome-exploit-fetches-pinkie-pie-60000-hacking-prize/ |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |date=October 10, 2012 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=July 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704171936/https://arstechnica.com/security/2012/10/google-chrome-exploit-fetches-pinkie-pie-60000-hacking-prize/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2012/10/pwnium-2-results-and-wrap-up_10.html|title=Pwnium 2: results and wrap-up|work=Chromium Blog|date=October 10, 2012|access-date=December 17, 2015|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207182918/https://blog.chromium.org/2012/10/pwnium-2-results-and-wrap-up_10.html|url-status=live}}

A significant number of security vulnerabilities in Chrome occurred in the Adobe Flash Player. For example, the 2016 Pwn2Own successful attack on Chrome relied on four security vulnerabilities. Two of the vulnerabilities were in Flash, one was in Chrome, and one was in the Windows kernel.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eweek.com/security/pwn2own-day-1-exploits-google-chrome-adobe-flash-apple-safari.html|title=Pwn2own Day 1 Exploits: Google Chrome, Adobe Flash, Apple Safari|date=March 17, 2016|access-date=September 20, 2016}} In 2016, Google announced that it was planning to phase out Flash Player in Chrome, starting in version 53. The first phase of the plan was to disable Flash for ads and "background analytics", with the ultimate goal of disabling it completely by the end of the year, except on specific sites that Google has deemed to be broken without it. Flash would then be re-enabled with the exclusion of ads and background analytics on a site-by-site basis.{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/05/15/google-targets-html5-default-for-chrome-instead-of-flash-in-q4-2016/|title=Google targets HTML5 default for Chrome instead of Flash in Q4 2016|website=VentureBeat|date=May 15, 2016|access-date=September 20, 2016|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108120845/https://venturebeat.com/2016/05/15/google-targets-html5-default-for-chrome-instead-of-flash-in-q4-2016/|url-status=live}}

Leaked documents from 2013 to 2016 codenamed Vault 7 detail the capabilities of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, such as the ability to compromise web browsers (including Google Chrome).{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wikileaks-cia-documents-released-cyber-intelligence/|title=WikiLeaks posts trove of CIA documents detailing mass hacking|date=March 7, 2017|work=CBS News|language=en|access-date=April 16, 2020|archive-date=August 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803033121/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wikileaks-cia-documents-released-cyber-intelligence/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/03/cia-can-hack-phone-pc-tv-says-wikileaks/|title=How the CIA Can Hack Your Phone, PC, and TV (Says WikiLeaks)|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|date=March 7, 2017|magazine=Wired|language=en-US|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320070844/https://www.wired.com/2017/03/cia-can-hack-phone-pc-tv-says-wikileaks/|url-status=live}}

Google introduced download scanning protection in Chrome 17.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/features.html#security |title=Chrome Browser |website=Google.com |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326182416/http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/features.html#security |url-status=live }} In February 2018, Google introduced an ad blocking feature based on recommendations from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Sites that employ invasive ads are given a 30-day warning, after which their ads will be blocked.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/02/15/googles-chrome-ad-blocker-means-the-webs-largest-ad-company-is-also-now-advertisings-biggest-traffic-cop/|title=Google's Chrome ad blocker means the Web's largest ad company is also now advertising's biggest traffic cop|last=Tsukayama|first=Hayley|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 15, 2018|access-date=February 15, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204061441/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/02/15/googles-chrome-ad-blocker-means-the-webs-largest-ad-company-is-also-now-advertisings-biggest-traffic-cop/|url-status=live}} Consumer Reports recommended users install dedicated ad-blocking tools instead, which offer increased security against malware and tracking.{{cite news|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/digital-security/to-protect-against-websites-that-spy-on-you-get-an-adblocker/|title=Want to Protect Against Websites That Spy on You? Get an Ad Blocker.|last=Chaikivsky|first=Andrew|work=Consumer Reports|date=February 15, 2018|access-date=February 15, 2018|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208032650/https://www.consumerreports.org/digital-security/to-protect-against-websites-that-spy-on-you-get-an-adblocker/|url-status=live}}

• Chrome supported, up to version 45, plug-ins with the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI),{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/webmasters-faq.html#activex |title=Google Chrome FAQ for web developers|access-date=April 8, 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080904005822/https://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/webmasters-faq.html |archive-date = September 4, 2008}} so that plug-ins (for example Adobe Flash Player) run as unrestricted separate processes outside the browser and cannot be sandboxed as tabs are. ActiveX is not supported. Since 2010, Adobe Flash has been integral to Chrome and does not need be installed separately. Flash is kept up to date as part of Chrome's own updates.{{cite web|url = https://arstechnica.com/web/news/2010/03/google-bakes-flash-into-chrome-hopes-to-improve-plugin-api.ars|title = Google bakes Flash into Chrome, hopes to improve plug-in API|access-date = March 14, 2010|last = Paul|first = Ryan|date = March 2010|archive-date = May 5, 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120505190307/http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2010/03/google-bakes-flash-into-chrome-hopes-to-improve-plugin-api.ars|url-status = live}} Java applet support was available in Chrome with Java 6 update 12 and above.{{cite web|url=https://java.com/en/download/chrome.jsp|title=Java and Google Chrome|website=java.com|access-date=December 11, 2009|archive-date=February 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209071329/http://java.com/en/download/chrome.jsp?|url-status=live}} Support for Java under macOS was provided by a Java Update released on May 18, 2010.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=10812|title=Issue 10812 – chromium – No java plugin support yet|access-date=May 18, 2010|archive-date=November 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106172855/https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=10812|url-status=live}}
• On August 12, 2009, Google introduced a replacement for NPAPI that is more portable and more secure{{cite web |url=https://code.google.com/p/ppapi/wiki/Concepts |title=Pepper.wiki |website=Code.google.com |date=February 24, 2012 |access-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-date=April 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192225/https://code.google.com/p/ppapi/wiki/Concepts |url-status=live }} called Pepper Plugin API (PPAPI).{{cite web |url=https://www.chromium.org/nativeclient/getting-started/getting-started-background-and-basics#TOC-Pepper-Plugin-API-PPAPI- |title=Pepper Plugin API (PPAPI) |website=Chromium.org |access-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-date=December 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221070247/http://www.chromium.org/nativeclient/getting-started/getting-started-background-and-basics#TOC-Pepper-Plugin-API-PPAPI- |url-status=live }} The default bundled PPAPI Flash Player (or Pepper-based Flash Player) was available on ChromeOS first, then replaced the NPAPI Flash Player on Linux from Chrome version 20, on Windows from version 21 (which also reduced Flash crashes by 20%),{{cite web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2012/08/the-road-to-safer-more-stable-and.html |title=Chromium Blog: The road to safer, more stable, and flashier Flash |website=blog.chromium.org |date=August 8, 2012 |access-date=August 29, 2012 |archive-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725110647/https://blog.chromium.org/2012/08/the-road-to-safer-more-stable-and.html |url-status=live }} and eventually came to macOS at version 23.
• On September 23, 2013, Google announced that it would be deprecating and then removing NPAPI support. NPAPI support was removed from Linux in Chrome release 35.{{cite web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2013/09/saying-goodbye-to-our-old-friend-npapi.html|title=Chromium Blog: Saying Goodbye to Our Old Friend NPAPI|work=Chromium Blog|access-date=July 13, 2015|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122184036/https://blog.chromium.org/2013/09/saying-goodbye-to-our-old-friend-npapi.html|url-status=live}} NPAPI plugins like Java can no longer work in Chrome (but there are workarounds for Flash by using PPAPI Flash Player on Linux including for Chromium).{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/#!topic/chromium-dev/xEbgvWE7wMk |title=PSA: Chrome for Linux planning to drop NPAPI support as soon as April |quote=Another thing I found last night is a Debian package called PepperFlashPlayer. Apparently, it works the same way as the existing FlashPlayer package (which downloads Adobe Flash from Adobe and installs it) -- it downloads Chrome from Google, extracts the PPAPI Flash plugin, and installs it for Chromium. That might be a good workaround for Chromium users in the interim. (Note: I am not endorsing this method, just making people aware of it.) But obviously, it would be better if PPAPI Flash were available in a more "official" context. |access-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523081122/http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-os-dev/browse_thread/thread/337cca9a0da59ad6/9354a38894da5df5#!topic/chromium-dev/xEbgvWE7wMk |url-status=live }}
• On April 14, 2015, Google released Chrome v42, disabling the NPAPI by default. This makes plugins that do not have a PPAPI plugin counterpart incompatible with Chrome, such as Java, Silverlight and Unity. However, NPAPI support could be enabled through the chrome://flags menu, until the release of version 45 on September 1, 2015, that removed NPAPI support entirely.{{cite web |url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation |website=www.chromium.org |title=NPAPI deprecation: developer guide |access-date=April 17, 2015 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121110102/https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation |url-status=live }}

{{Redirect|Incognito mode|3=Private browsing|the general term|5=Incognito (disambiguation)}}

File:Google Chrome Incognito.png

The private browsing feature called Incognito mode prevents the browser from locally storing any history information, cookies, site data, or form inputs.{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95464?co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop|title=Browse in private – Computer – Google Chrome Help|website=support.google.com|language=en|access-date=April 1, 2018|archive-date=March 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323103606/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95464?co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop|url-status=live}} Downloaded files and bookmarks will be stored. In addition, user activity is not hidden from visited websites or the Internet service provider.{{cite web|url= https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/9845881?hl=en#zippy=%2Chow-incognito-mode-works%2Chow-incognito-mode-protects-your-privacy%2Cyoure-in-control|title= How Chrome Incognito keeps your browsing private|access-date= 27 June 2023|author= ((Google))|author-link= Google|work= support.google.com|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230627184301/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/9845881?hl=en%23zippy=,how-incognito-mode-works,how-incognito-mode-protects-your-privacy,youre-in-control|archive-date= 27 June 2023|url-status= live}}

Incognito mode is similar to the private browsing feature in other web browsers. It does not prevent saving in all windows: "You can switch between an incognito window and any regular windows you have open. You'll only be in incognito mode when you're using the incognito window".{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95464|title=Explore Google Chrome Features: Incognito Mode|date=September 2, 2008|access-date=September 4, 2008|archive-date=March 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311132829/http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95464|url-status=live}}

The iOS version of Chrome also supports the optional ability to lock incognito tabs with Face ID, Touch ID or the device's passcode.{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/20/22585624/chrome-ios-92-incognito-tabs-with-face-touch-id-passcode-full-page-screenshots |title=Chrome for iOS will let you lock down incognito tabs with Face ID |date=July 20, 2021 |access-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721002700/https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/20/22585624/chrome-ios-92-incognito-tabs-with-face-touch-id-passcode-full-page-screenshots |url-status=live }}

In 2024, Google agreed to destroy billions of records to settle a lawsuit claiming it secretly tracked the internet use of people who thought they were browsing privately in incognito mode.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/01/google-destroying-browsing-data-privacy-lawsuit|website=Guardian |title=Google to destroy billions of private browsing records to settle lawsuit|access-date=2024-04-19}}

In February 2012, Google announced that Chrome would implement the Do Not Track (DNT) standard to inform websites the user's desire not to be tracked. The protocol was implemented in version 23. In line with the W3's draft standard for DNT,{{cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/2011/tracking-protection/drafts/tracking-dnt.html#determining|publisher=W3C|access-date=December 17, 2015|title=Tracking DNT|archive-date=December 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231003129/http://www.w3.org/2011/tracking-protection/drafts/tracking-dnt.html#determining|url-status=live}} it is turned off by default in Chrome.{{cite web |url=https://browserfame.com/478/google-chrome-support-do-not-track |title=Google and Chrome To Support Do Not Track |access-date=March 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226042318/https://browserfame.com/478/google-chrome-support-do-not-track |archive-date=February 26, 2012 }}

File:Chrome-crash.png

A multi-process architecture is implemented in Chrome where, by default, a separate process is allocated to each site instance and plugin.{{cite web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2008/09/multi-process-architecture.html|title=Multi-process Architecture|last=Reisn|first=Charlie|date=September 11, 2008|access-date=September 12, 2008|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131003345/https://blog.chromium.org/2008/09/multi-process-architecture.html|url-status=live}} This procedure is termed process isolation,{{cite web|url=https://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/process-models|title=Process Models|date=September 3, 2008|work=The Chromium Projects|access-date=September 12, 2008|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202194553/http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/process-models|url-status=live}} and raises security and stability by preventing tasks from interfering with each other. An attacker successfully gaining access to one application gains access to no others,{{cite web|url=https://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Google-Chrome-Puts-Security-in-a-Sandbox/|title=Google Chrome Puts Security in a Sandbox|last=Prince|first=Brian|date=December 11, 2008|website=eWeek.com|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=June 4, 2010|archive-date=April 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417122108/https://www.eweek.com/security/google-chrome-puts-security-in-a-sandbox/|url-status=live}} and failure in one instance results in a Sad Tab screen of death, similar to the well-known Sad Mac, but only one tab crashes instead of the whole application. This strategy exacts a fixed per-process cost up front, but results in less memory bloat over time as fragmentation is confined to each instance and no longer needs further memory allocations. This architecture was later adopted in Safari{{cite web |url=https://lists.webkit.org/pipermail/webkit-dev/2010-April/012235.html |title=[webkit-dev] Announcing WebKit2 |website=lists.webkit.org |date=April 8, 2010 |access-date=April 8, 2012 |archive-date=May 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508101303/https://lists.webkit.org/pipermail/webkit-dev/2010-April/012235.html |url-status=live }} and Firefox.{{cite web |url=https://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/index.php/2010/04/08/firefox-lorentz-beta-available-for-download-and-testing/ |title=Firefox Lorentz Beta Available for Download and Testing |date=April 8, 2010 |publisher=Mozilla |access-date=April 10, 2010 |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714220616/https://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/index.php/2010/04/08/firefox-lorentz-beta-available-for-download-and-testing/ |url-status=live }}

Chrome includes a process management utility called Task Manager which lets users see what sites and plugins are using the most memory, downloading the most bytes and overusing the CPU and provides the ability to terminate them.{{cite web|last=Orgera|first=Scott|date=May 30, 2022 |title=How to Use the Google Chrome Task Manager|website=Lifewire|url=https://www.lifewire.com/google-chrome-task-manager-4103619|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630141821/https://www.lifewire.com/google-chrome-task-manager-4103619|archive-date=June 30, 2022|access-date=December 5, 2022}} Chrome Version 23 ensures its users an improved battery life for the systems supporting Chrome's GPU accelerated video decoding.{{cite web |url=https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/11/Chrome23-With-Longer-Battery-Life-Do-Not-Track.html |title=Chrome 23 Closes 15 Security Vulnerabilities, Promises Longer Battery Life & Added Do Not Track (DNT) |access-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-date=November 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116090559/http://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/11/Chrome23-With-Longer-Battery-Life-Do-Not-Track.html |url-status=live }}

The first production release on December 11, 2008, marked the end of the initial Beta test period and the beginning of production. Shortly thereafter, on January 8, 2009, Google announced an updated release system with three channels: Stable (corresponding to the traditional production), Beta, and Developer preview (also called the "Dev" channel). Where there were before only two channels: Beta and Developer, now there were three. Concurrently, all Developer channel users were moved to the Beta channel along with the promoted Developer release. Google explained that now the Developer channel builds would be less stable and polished than those from the initial Google Chrome's Beta period. Beta users could opt back to the Developer channel as desired.

Each channel has its own release cycle and stability level. The Stable channel updated roughly quarterly, with features and fixes that passed "thorough" testing in the Beta channel. Beta updated roughly monthly, with "stable and complete" features migrated from the Developer channel. The Developer channel updated once or twice per week and was where ideas and features were first publicly exposed "(and sometimes fail) and can be very unstable at times". [Quoted remarks from Google's policy announcements.]{{cite web |last=Larson |first=Mark |date=January 8, 2009 |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2009/01/google-chrome-release-channels.html |title=Google Chrome Release Channels |access-date=January 9, 2009 |archive-date=January 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115210711/http://blog.chromium.org/2009/01/google-chrome-release-channels.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web|last=Larson|first=Mark|date=January 8, 2009|url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2009/01/dev-update-new-webkit-version-new.html|title=Dev update: New WebKit version, new features, and a new Dev channel|access-date=January 9, 2009|archive-date=January 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116213608/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2009/01/dev-update-new-webkit-version-new.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Fette|first=Ian|date=December 11, 2008|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2008/12/thanks-for-all-your-help.html|title=Thanks For All Your Help|access-date=May 1, 2015|archive-date=April 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414210516/http://blog.chromium.org/2008/12/thanks-for-all-your-help.html|url-status=live}}

File:Chrome-canary-logo.svg

On July 22, 2010, Google announced it would ramp up the speed at which it releases new stable versions; the release cycles were shortened from quarterly to six weeks for major Stable updates.{{cite web|last=Laforge|first=Anthony|date=July 22, 2010|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2010/07/release-early-release-often.html|title=Release Early, Release Often|access-date=July 25, 2010|archive-date=July 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724183448/http://blog.chromium.org/2010/07/release-early-release-often.html|url-status=live}} Beta channel releases now come roughly at the same rate as Stable releases, though approximately one month in advance, while Dev channel releases appear roughly once or twice weekly, allowing time for basic release-critical testing.{{cite web|author=The Chromium Authors|url=https://dev.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel|title=Chrome Release Channels|access-date=October 29, 2014|archive-date=November 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110230322/http://dev.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel|url-status=live}} This faster release cycle also brought a fourth channel: the "Canary" channel, updated daily from a build produced at 09:00 UTC from the most stable of the last 40 revisions.{{cite web|last=Irish|first=Paul|date=November 2, 2012|url=https://www.paulirish.com/2012/chrome-canary-for-developers/|title=Chrome Canary for Developers|access-date=October 29, 2014|archive-date=October 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030044306/http://www.paulirish.com/2012/chrome-canary-for-developers/|url-status=live}} The name refers to the practice of using canaries in coal mines, so if a change "kills" Chrome Canary, it will be blocked from migrating down to the Developer channel, at least until fixed in a subsequent Canary build.{{cite web|last1=Bridge|first1=Henry|title=Google Chrome in a Coal Mine|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2010/08/google-chrome-in-coal-mine.html|website=Chromium Blog|access-date=March 19, 2015|date=August 2, 2010|archive-date=March 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331212248/http://blog.chromium.org/2010/08/google-chrome-in-coal-mine.html|url-status=live}} Canary is "the most bleeding-edge official version of Chrome and somewhat of a mix between Chrome dev and the Chromium snapshot builds". Canary releases run side by side with any other channel; it is not linked to the other Google Chrome installation and can therefore run different synchronization profiles, themes, and browser preferences. This ensures that fallback functionality remains even when some Canary updates may contain release-breaking bugs.{{cite web|first=Lee |last=Mathews|date=July 23, 2010|url=https://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/07/23/google-chrome-canary-run-two-channels-at-once/|title=Google drops Chrome Canary build down the Chrome mineshaft|access-date=July 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725003442/https://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/07/23/google-chrome-canary-run-two-channels-at-once/ |archive-date=July 25, 2010}} It does not natively include the option to be the default browser, although on Windows and macOS it can be set through System Preferences. Canary was Windows-only at first; a macOS version was released on May 3, 2011.{{cite web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2011/05/adding-more-yellow-to-mac-color-scheme.html |title=Adding more yellow to the Mac color scheme |website=blog.chromium.org |date=May 2, 2011 |access-date=February 4, 2012 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118081012/http://blog.chromium.org/2011/05/adding-more-yellow-to-mac-color-scheme.html |url-status=live }}.

The Chrome beta channel for Android was launched on January 10, 2013; like Canary, it runs side by side with the stable channel for Android.{{cite web |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrome.beta |title=Chrome beta for Android on Google Play |website=Play.google.com |access-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-date=February 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217110816/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrome.beta |url-status=live }} Chrome Dev for Android was launched on April 29, 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.chromestory.com/2015/04/google-launches-dev-channel-for-chrome-on-android/|title=Google Launches Dev Channel for Chrome on Android|work=Chrome Story|access-date=July 13, 2015|archive-date=July 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711220228/https://www.chromestory.com/2015/04/google-launches-dev-channel-for-chrome-on-android/|url-status=dead}}

All Chrome channels are automatically distributed according to their respective release cycles. The mechanism differs by platform. On Windows, it uses Google Update, and auto-update can be controlled via Group Policy.{{cite news |url=https://google-opensource.blogspot.com/2009/05/google-update-releases-update-controls.html |title=Google Update Releases Update Controls |last=Dorwin |first=David |newspaper=Google Open Source Blog |date=May 14, 2009 |access-date=May 13, 2010 |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101175505/http://google-opensource.blogspot.com/2009/05/google-update-releases-update-controls.html |url-status=live }} Alternatively, users may download a standalone installer of a version of Chrome that does not auto-update.{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?visit_id=637339793306428474-1010377970&rd=1#install_win_offline|title=Download & install Google Chrome – Computer – Google Chrome Help|website=support.google.com|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=June 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614101253/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?visit_id=637339793306428474-1010377970&rd=1#install_win_offline|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url= https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html?standalone=1 |title= Get a fast, free web browser |website= Google.com |access-date= February 17, 2017 |archive-date= November 18, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161118075150/https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html?standalone=1 |url-status= live }} On macOS, it uses Google Update Service, and auto-update can be controlled via the macOS "defaults" system.{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6315198?visit_id=637339793311802494-2911862149&rd=3|title=Fix problems installing Chrome – Google Chrome Help|website=support.google.com|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=June 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614100529/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6315198?visit_id=637339793311802494-2911862149&rd=3|url-status=live}} On Linux, it lets the system's normal package management system supply the updates. This auto-updating behavior is a key difference from Chromium, the non-branded open-source browser which forms the core of Google Chrome. Because Chromium also serves as the pre-release development trunk for Chrome, its revisions are provided as source code and buildable snapshots are produced continuously with each new commit, requiring users to manage their own browser updates.{{cite web|url=https://dev.chromium.org/developers/testing/chromium-build-infrastructure/tour-of-the-chromium-buildbot|title=Tour of the Chromium Buildbot Waterfall – The Chromium Projects|access-date=December 2, 2014|archive-date=January 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103033036/http://dev.chromium.org/developers/testing/chromium-build-infrastructure/tour-of-the-chromium-buildbot|url-status=live}}

In March 2021, Google announced that starting with Chrome 94 in the third quarter of 2021, Google Chrome Stable releases will be made every four weeks, instead of six weeks as they have been since 2010. Also, Google announced a new release channel for system administrators and browser embedders with releases every eight weeks.{{Cite web|last=Kwan|first=Campbell|title=Google to shorten Chrome update cycle to four weeks|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-shorten-chrome-update-cycle-to-four-weeks/|access-date=March 5, 2021|website=ZDNet|language=en|archive-date=March 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305004232/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-shorten-chrome-update-cycle-to-four-weeks/|url-status=live}}

Releases are identified by a four-part version number, e.g. 42.0.2311.90 (Windows Stable release April 14, 2015). The components are major.minor.build.patch.{{cite web|url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/calendar|title=Chromium Development Calendar and Release Info|website=The Chromium Projects|access-date=May 1, 2015|archive-date=April 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430005427/http://www.chromium.org/developers/calendar|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/version-numbers|title=Version Numbers|website=The Chromium Projects|access-date=May 1, 2015|date=March 14, 2014|author=Mike Frysinger|archive-date=May 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507084942/https://www.chromium.org/developers/version-numbers|url-status=live}}

: Major.minor reflects scheduling policy

: Build.patch identifies content progression

• Major represents a product release. These are scheduled 7–8 per year, unlike other software systems where the major version number updates only with substantial new content.
• Minor is usually 0. References to version 'x' or 'x.0', e.g. 42.0, refer to this major.minor designation.
• Build is ever increasing. For a release cycle, e.g. 42.0, there are several builds in the Canary and Developer period. The last build number from Developer is kept throughout Beta and Stable and is locked with the major.minor for that release.
• Patch resets with each build, incrementing with each patch. The first patch is 0, but usually the first publicly released patch is somewhat higher. In Beta and Stable, only patch increments.

Chromium and Chrome release schedules are linked through Chromium (Major) version Branch Point dates, published annually. The Branch Points precede the final Chrome Developer build (initial) release by 4 days (nearly always) and the Chrome Stable initial release by roughly 53 days.{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uv_dNkPVlDFG1kaImq7dW-6PasJQU1Yzpj5IKG_2coA/present?slide=id.i109|title=Chrome Release Cycle -12/16/2010|website=Google Slides|access-date=May 1, 2015|date=December 16, 2010|author=Anthony LaForge|archive-date=December 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218182318/https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uv_dNkPVlDFG1kaImq7dW-6PasJQU1Yzpj5IKG_2coA/present?slide=id.i109|url-status=live}}

Example: The version 42 Branch Point was February 20, 2015. Developer builds stopped advancing at build 2311 with release 42.0.2311.4 on February 24,{{cite web|title=Version 42 Developer Update|url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2015/02/dev-channel-update_24.html|website=Chrome Releases|access-date=December 28, 2015|date=February 26, 2015|archive-date=January 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125034438/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2015/02/dev-channel-update_24.html|url-status=live}} 4 days later. The first Stable release, 42.0.2311.90, was April 14, 2015,{{cite web|title=Version 42 Stable Release|url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2015/04/stable-channel-update_14.html|website=Chrome Releases|access-date=December 28, 2015|date=April 14, 2015|archive-date=January 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125034438/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2015/04/stable-channel-update_14.html|url-status=live}} 53 days after the Branch Point.

{{Main|Color management}}

Chrome supports color management by using the system-provided ICC v2 and v4 support on macOS, and from version 22 supports ICC v2 profiles by default on other platforms.

{{Main|Dinosaur Game}}

In Chrome, when not connected to the Internet and an error message displaying "No internet" is shown, on the top, an "8-bit" Tyrannosaurus rex is shown, but when pressing the space bar on a keyboard, mouse-clicking on it or tapping it on touch devices, the T-Rex instantly jumps once and dashes across a cactus-ridden desert, revealing it to be an Easter egg in the form of a platform game.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-chrome-easter-egg-t-rex-mini-game-2014-9|title=Google Chrome Easter Egg T-Rex Mini Game|work=Business Insider|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=May 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514005803/https://www.businessinsider.com/google-chrome-easter-egg-t-rex-mini-game-2014-9|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/fun-fact-even-without-an-internet-connection-195609091.html|title=Play Google Chrome's Secret Offline Game|website=www.yahoo.com|date=November 18, 2015|access-date=January 10, 2016|archive-date=January 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125034438/https://www.yahoo.com/tech/fun-fact-even-without-an-internet-connection-195609091.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-05-28/google-chromes-secret-unable-to-connect-to-the-internet-game-could-be-better-than-the-whole-web|title=How do I find the secret dinosaur game on Google Chrome when my internet connection is down?|work=RadioTimes|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101051137/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-05-28/google-chromes-secret-unable-to-connect-to-the-internet-game-could-be-better-than-the-whole-web/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-chromes-unable-to-connect-to-the-internet-page-has-a-hidden-endless-runner-game-9758418.html|title=Google Chrome's 'Unable to connect to the Internet' page has a hidden endless runner game|work=The Independent|date=September 26, 2014|access-date=August 29, 2017|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828161520/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-chromes-unable-to-connect-to-the-internet-page-has-a-hidden-endless-runner-game-9758418.html|url-status=live}} The game itself is an infinite runner, and there is no time limit in the game as it progresses faster and periodically tints to a black background. A school or enterprise manager can disable the game.{{Cite web|url=https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=462221|title=Issue 462221 – chromium – Disable offline game (T-Rex) if device is enrolled – Monorail|date=February 26, 2015|website=Chromium.org|publication-date=February 26, 2015|access-date=July 27, 2016|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602024810/https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=462221|url-status=live}}

The current version of Chrome runs on:

• Windows 10 or later{{cite web |title=Download & install Google Chrome - Computer |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=Google Chrome Help |at=System requirements to use Chrome |language=en-US |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423073623/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346 |url-status=live }}
• macOS Big Sur or later
• 64-bit versions of Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, openSUSE 15.5+ and Fedora 39+
• Android Oreo or later, Android 10 or later for 64-bit Chrome
• iOS 16 or later
• iPadOS 16 or later

{{As of|2016|4}}, stable 32-bit and 64-bit builds are available for Windows, with only 64-bit stable builds available for Linux and macOS.{{cite web|title= 64-bit Support – The Chromium Projects|url= https://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/64-bit-support/|website= chromium.org|access-date= March 5, 2012|archive-date= March 5, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120305222343/http://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/64-bit-support|url-status= live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/chrome/|title=Google Chrome – Download the Fast, Secure Browser from Google|website=www.google.com|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-date=February 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217202622/https://www.google.com/chrome/|url-status=live}} 64-bit Windows builds became available in the developer channel and as canary builds on June 3, 2014,{{cite web|title= Try out the new 64-bit Windows Canary and Dev channels|url= https://blog.chromium.org/2014/06/try-out-new-64-bit-windows-canary-and.html|website= blog.chromium.org|access-date= July 1, 2014|archive-date= January 29, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210129011418/https://blog.chromium.org/2014/06/try-out-new-64-bit-windows-canary-and.html|url-status= live}} in the beta channel on July 30, 2014,{{cite web|title= Announcing the Chrome 64-bit Beta Channel for Windows!|url= https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/07/announcing-chrome-64-bit-beta-channel.html|website= googleblog.com|access-date= August 11, 2014|archive-date= May 5, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170505194729/https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/07/announcing-chrome-64-bit-beta-channel.html|url-status= live}} and in the stable channel on August 26, 2014.{{cite web | url= https://blog.chromium.org/2014/08/64-bits-of-awesome-64-bit-windows_26.html | title= 64 bits of awesome: 64-bit Windows Support, now in Stable! | date= August 26, 2014 | access-date= August 27, 2014 | archive-date= October 6, 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141006132041/http://blog.chromium.org/2014/08/64-bits-of-awesome-64-bit-windows_26.html | url-status= live }} 64-bit macOS builds became available as canary builds on November 7, 2013,{{cite mailing list|mailing-list=chromium-dev|title=Yesterday's Mac canary was 64-bit|url=https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msg/chromium-dev/LBHN-SWwI7I/XYuj8tHQa04J|author=Mark Mentovai|date=November 8, 2013|access-date=February 6, 2022|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126163424/https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/|url-status=live}} in the beta channel on October 9, 2014,{{cite web|title=Beta Channel Update|url=https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/10/beta-channel-update_9.html|date=October 9, 2014|access-date=February 14, 2022|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214220409/https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/10/beta-channel-update_9.html|url-status=live}} and in the stable channel on November 18, 2014.{{cite web|title= Stable Channel Update|url= https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/11/stable-channel-update_18.html|website= googleblog.com|date= November 18, 2014|access-date= November 18, 2014|archive-date= March 11, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170311061411/https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2014/11/stable-channel-update_18.html|url-status= live}}

Starting with the release of version 89, Chrome will only be supported on Intel/Intel x86 and AMD processors with the SSE3 instruction set.{{Cite web|last=Weatherbed|first=Jess|title=Google Chrome will no longer support some older processors|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/google-chrome-will-no-longer-support-some-older-processors|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=TechRadar|date=February 8, 2021|language=en|archive-date=February 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211064911/https://www.techradar.com/news/google-chrome-will-no-longer-support-some-older-processors|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Chrome Browser system requirements – Google Chrome Enterprise Help|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626?hl=en|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=support.google.com|archive-date=December 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221222523/https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7100626?hl=en|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Require SSE3 for Chrome on x86|url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QUzL4MGNqX4wiLvukUwBf6FdCL35kCDoEJTm2wMkahw/|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=|language=|archive-date=February 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212202229/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QUzL4MGNqX4wiLvukUwBf6FdCL35kCDoEJTm2wMkahw/edit|url-status=live}}

{{Google Chrome release compatibility}}

File:Google Chrome 131 running on Android 8.png

A beta version for Android 4.0 devices was launched on February 7, 2012, available for a limited number of countries from Google Play.{{cite web |url= https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?&answer=2393487 |title= Install Chrome for Android Beta – Google Chrome Help |publisher= Google Inc. |access-date= April 6, 2012 |archive-date= February 17, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210217213619/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?visit_id=637323719075574884-339813422&rd=1 |url-status= live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/google-chrome-browser-arrives-on-android-video/ |title=Google Chrome Beta arrives on Android (video) |first=Mat |last=Smith |work=Engadget |date=February 7, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-date=June 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620042947/https://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/google-chrome-browser-arrives-on-android-video/ |url-status=live }}

Notable features: synchronization with desktop Chrome to provide the same bookmarks and view the same browser tabs,{{cite web |url= https://www.neowin.net/news/beta-version-of-chrome-for-android-40-released |title= Beta version of Chrome for Android 4.0 released |website= www.neowin.net |access-date= February 9, 2012 |archive-date= September 24, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160924054406/https://www.neowin.net/news/beta-version-of-chrome-for-android-40-released |url-status= live }}. page pre-rendering,{{cite web |url= https://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2012/02/chrome-for-android.html |title= Google Operating System: Chrome for Android |website= googlesystem.blogspot.com |date= February 7, 2012 |access-date= August 18, 2021 |archive-date= August 19, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210819025847/http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2012/02/chrome-for-android.html |url-status= live }} hardware acceleration.

Many of the latest HTML5 features: almost all of the Web Platform's features: GPU-accelerated canvas, including CSS 3D Transforms, CSS animations, SVG, WebSocket (including binary messages), Dedicated Workers; it has overflow scroll support, strong HTML5 video support, and new capabilities such as IndexedDB, WebWorkers, Application Cache and the File APIs, date- and time-pickers, parts of the Media Capture API.{{Cite web|url=https://peter.sh/2012/02/bringing-google-chrome-to-android/|title=Bringing Google Chrome to Android|last=Beverloo|first=Peter|date=February 7, 2012|access-date=February 14, 2022|archive-date=May 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509033803/https://peter.sh/2012/02/bringing-google-chrome-to-android/|url-status=live}} Also supports mobile oriented features such as Device Orientation and Geolocation.

Mobile customizations: swipe gesture tab switching, link preview allows zooming in on (multiple) links to ensure the desired one is clicked, font size boosting to ensure readability regardless of the zoom level.

Features missing in the mobile version include sandboxed tabs, Safe Browsing, apps or extensions,{{Cite journal |url= https://chromestory.com/2012/02/google-chrome-for-android-23-questions-and-answers-it-wont-support-flash/ |title= Google Chrome for Android – 23 Questions and Answers |website= Chrome Story |access-date= February 9, 2012 |archive-date= February 11, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120211042120/https://chromestory.com/2012/02/google-chrome-for-android-23-questions-and-answers-it-wont-support-flash/ |url-status= dead }} Adobe Flash (now and in the future), Native Client, and the ability to export user data such a list of their opened tabs or their browsing history into portable local files.{{cite web |last=Piczkowski |first=Marcin |title=When You Never Close Tabs on Your Mobile Chrome Browser |url=https://dev.to/piczmar_0/when-you-never-close-tabs-on-your-mobile-chrome-browser-2boj |website=DEV.to |date=March 7, 2019 |access-date=December 31, 2020 |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203231423/https://dev.to/piczmar_0/when-you-never-close-tabs-on-your-mobile-chrome-browser-2boj |url-status=live }}

Development changes: remote debugging,{{Cite web|url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/remote-debugging/|title=Remote debug Android devices|author=Kayce Basques|date=April 13, 2015|website=developer.chrome.com|access-date=February 11, 2022|archive-date=February 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210061233/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/remote-debugging/|url-status=live}}. part of the browser layer has been implemented in Java, communicating with the rest of the Chromium and WebKit code through Java Native Bindings. The code of Chrome for Android is a fork of the Chromium project. It is a priority to upstream most new and modified code to Chromium and WebKit to resolve the fork.

The April 17, 2012, update included availability in 31 additional languages and in all countries where Google Play is available. A desktop version of a website can also be requested as opposed to a mobile version. In addition, Android users can now add bookmarks to their Android home screens if they choose and decide which apps should handle links opened in Chrome.{{cite web|last= Lardinois|first= Frederic|date= April 17, 2012|url= https://techcrunch.com/2012/04/17/chrome-for-android-gets-desktop-view-home-screen-bookmarks-file-downloads/|title= Chrome For Android Gets Desktop View, Home Screen Bookmarks, File Downloads|access-date= June 25, 2017|archive-date= October 22, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201022115948/https://techcrunch.com/2012/04/17/chrome-for-android-gets-desktop-view-home-screen-bookmarks-file-downloads/|url-status= live}}

On June 27, 2012, Google Chrome for Android exited beta and became stable.{{Cite journal |url= https://www.engadget.com/2012/06/27/google-chrome-for-android/ |title= Google Chrome for Android comes out of beta, Hits Play today |website= Engadget |publisher= AOL |date= June 27, 2012 |access-date= June 27, 2012 |archive-date= October 22, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191022032819/https://www.engadget.com/2012/06/27/google-chrome-for-android/ |url-status= live }}.{{cite web |url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/06/chrome-for-android-out-of-beta.html |title=Chrome for Android out of Beta! |first=Srikanth |last=Rajagopalan |work=Google Chrome Releases blog |date=June 27, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025012621/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/06/chrome-for-android-out-of-beta.html |url-status=live }}

Chrome 18.0.1026311, released on September 26, 2012, was the first version of Chrome for Android to support mobile devices based on Intel x86.{{cite web |url= https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/09/chrome-for-android-update_26.html |title= Chrome for Android Update |website= Googlechromereleases.blogspot.hu |date= September 26, 2012 |access-date= March 23, 2013 |archive-date= May 31, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130531143559/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2012/09/chrome-for-android-update_26.html |url-status= live }}

Starting from version 25, the Chrome version for Android is aligned with the desktop version, and usually new stable releases are available at the same time between the Android and the desktop version. Google released a separate Chrome for Android beta channel on January 10, 2013, with version 25.{{cite web |first= Emil |last= Protalinski |title= Google launches Chrome Beta channel for Android 4.0+ phones and tablets, releases version 25 |url= https://thenextweb.com/google/2013/01/10/google-launches-chrome-beta-channel-for-android-4-0-phones-and-tablets-releases-version-25/ |website= The Next Web |date= January 10, 2013 |access-date= March 9, 2017 |archive-date= January 3, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210103120330/https://thenextweb.com/google/2013/01/10/google-launches-chrome-beta-channel-for-android-4-0-phones-and-tablets-releases-version-25/ |url-status= live }} {{As of | 2013}} a separate beta version of Chrome is available in the Google Play Store{{snd}}it can run side by side with the stable release.{{cite web |url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrome.beta |title= Chrome Beta for Android |website= play.google.com |date= May 26, 2013 |access-date= July 4, 2013 |archive-date= February 17, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210217110816/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrome.beta |url-status= live }}

{{anchor|iOS version}}

Chrome is available on Apple's mobile iOS and iPadOS operating systems. Released in the Apple App Store on June 26, 2012, it supports the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, and the current version requires that the device has iOS 16.0 or greater installed.{{Cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-chrome/id535886823|title=Google Chrome|website=App Store|date=July 17, 2023|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203192219/https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-chrome/id535886823|url-status=live}} In accordance with Apple's requirements for browsers released through their App Store, this version of Chrome uses the iOS WebKit{{snd}}which is Apple's own mobile rendering engine and components, developed for their Safari browser{{snd}}therefore it is restricted from using Google's own V8 JavaScript engine.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/06/29/google-chrome-on-ios-hits-1-free-app/|title=Google Chrome on iOS Hits #1 Free App|website=Forbes|access-date=August 29, 2017|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124105829/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/06/29/google-chrome-on-ios-hits-1-free-app/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/ios-8-webkit-changes-finally-allow-all-apps-to-have-the-same-performance-as-safari/|title=iOS 8 WebKit changes finally allow all apps to have the same performance as Safari|first=Mike|last=Beasley|date=June 3, 2014|access-date=April 16, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308062253/https://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/ios-8-webkit-changes-finally-allow-all-apps-to-have-the-same-performance-as-safari/|url-status=live}} Chrome is the default web browser for the iOS and iPadOS Gmail application.

In a review by Chitika, Chrome was noted as having 1.5% of the iOS web browser market {{as of|2012|July|18|lc=y|df=US}}.{{cite web |first=Don |last=Reisinger |title=Chrome already nabs 1.5 percent of iOS browser market |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/chrome-already-nabs-1-5-percent-of-ios-browser-market/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=July 18, 2012 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124173410/https://www.cnet.com/news/chrome-already-nabs-1-5-percent-of-ios-browser-market/ |url-status=live }} In October 2013, Chrome had 3% of the iOS browser market.{{cite news |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/11/chromes-share-of-ios-usage-doubles-year-over-year-to-3/ |title=Chrome's Share of iOS Usage Doubles Year-Over-Year to 3% |newspaper=Macrumors |date=October 11, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=October 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023024021/https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/11/chromes-share-of-ios-usage-doubles-year-over-year-to-3/ |url-status=live }}{{update inline|date=December 2023}}

On Linux distributions, support for 32-bit Intel processors ended in March 2016 although Chromium is still supported.{{cite web|url=https://www.osnews.com/story/28980/Google_ends_32-bit_Linux_support_for_Chrome|title=Google ends 32-bit Linux support for Chrome|website=OSNews|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=June 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620153027/http://www.osnews.com/story/28980/Google_ends_32-bit_Linux_support_for_Chrome|url-status=live}} As of Chrome version 26, Linux installations of the browser may be updated only on systems that support GCC v4.6 and GTK v2.24 or later. Thus deprecated systems include (for example) Debian 6's 2.20, and RHEL 6's 2.18.{{cite web|url=https://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Chrome-stops-declaring-Linux-systems-obsolete-1803451.html|title=Chrome stops declaring Linux systems obsolete – The H Open: News and Features|date=February 14, 2013|website=H-online.com|access-date=March 30, 2013|archive-date=March 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326120655/http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Chrome-stops-declaring-Linux-systems-obsolete-1803451.html|url-status=dead}}

Support for Google Chrome on Windows XP and Windows Vista ended in April 2016.{{cite web|url=https://chrome.googleblog.com/2015/11/updates-to-chrome-platform-support.html|title=Updates to Chrome platform support|last=Pawliger|first=Marc|date=November 10, 2015|website=Chrome Blog|access-date=March 9, 2017|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213075059/https://chrome.googleblog.com/2015/11/updates-to-chrome-platform-support.html|url-status=live}} The last release of Google Chrome that can be run on Windows XP and Vista was version 49.0.2623.112,{{cite news|last1=Cunningham|first1=Andrew|title=Chrome 50 ends support for Windows XP, OS X 10.6, other old versions|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/chrome-50-ends-support-for-windows-xp-os-x-10-6-other-old-versions/|access-date=October 9, 2016|publisher=ArsTechnica|date=April 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505071211/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/04/chrome-50-ends-support-for-windows-xp-os-x-10-6-other-old-versions/|archive-date=May 5, 2016|language=en}} released on April 7, 2016,{{cite web|url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2016/04/stable-channel-update.html|title=Stable Channel Update|work=googlechromereleases.blogspot.com|access-date=August 10, 2016|archive-date=October 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019170334/https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2016/04/stable-channel-update.html|url-status=live}} then re-released on April 11, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://filehippo.com/download_google_chrome/67280/|title=Google Chrome 49.0.2623.112|work=filehippo.com|access-date=August 10, 2016|archive-date=September 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904024812/http://filehippo.com/download_google_chrome/67280|url-status=live}}

Support for Google Chrome on Windows 7 was originally supposed to end upon on July 15, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/chrome-enterprise/how-chrome-is-helping-enterprises-still-using-windows-7/|title=How Chrome is helping enterprises still using Windows 7|website=Google Cloud Blog|language=en|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208060753/https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/chrome-enterprise/how-chrome-is-helping-enterprises-still-using-windows-7|url-status=live}} However, the date was moved back to January 15, 2022, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since enterprises took more time to migrate to Windows 10 or 11, the end of support date was pushed back again until January 15, 2023.{{Cite web|title=Chrome support for Windows 7 now until January 15, 2022|url=https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/chrome-enterprise/extending-chrome-on-windows-7-to-support-enterprise-customers/|access-date=November 23, 2020|website=Google Cloud Blog|language=en|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129172239/https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/chrome-enterprise/extending-chrome-on-windows-7-to-support-enterprise-customers|url-status=live}} Support for not only Windows 7, but also Windows 8 and 8.1 ended on this date. The last version to support these versions of Windows is Chrome 109.{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/185534985/sunsetting-support-for-windows-7-8-1-in-early-2023?hl=en|title=Sunsetting support for Windows 7 / 8.1 in early 2023 – Google Chrome Community|website=support.google.com|access-date=October 26, 2022|archive-date=October 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026175949/https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/185534985/sunsetting-support-for-windows-7-8-1-in-early-2023?hl=en|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-chrome-to-drop-support-for-windows-7-81-in-feb-2023/|title=Google Chrome to drop support for Windows 7 / 8.1 in Feb 2023|website=BleepingComputer|access-date=October 26, 2022|archive-date=October 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026164512/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-chrome-to-drop-support-for-windows-7-81-in-feb-2023/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Haller |first=John |date=2023-02-09 |title=Google Chrome Portable 110.0.5481.78 Stable (web browser) Released, Drops Windows 7 and 8 |url=https://portableapps.com/news/2023-02-09--google-chrome-portable-110.0.5481.78-released |url-status=live |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=PortableApps.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523022738/https://portableapps.com/news/2023-02-09--google-chrome-portable-110.0.5481.78-released }}

"Windows 8 mode" was introduced in 2012 and has since been discontinued. It was provided to the developer channel, which enabled Windows 8 and 8.1 users to run Chrome with a full-screen, tablet-optimized interface, with access to snapping, sharing, and search functionalities.{{cite web|last=Newman|first=Jared|title=Google Chrome Gets Early Metro-Style App for Windows 8|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/257427/google_chrome_gets_early_metrostyle_app_for_windows_8.html|website=PCWorld|date=June 12, 2012|publisher=IDG|access-date=June 13, 2012|archive-date=September 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120909004200/https://www.pcworld.com/article/257427/google_chrome_gets_early_metrostyle_app_for_windows_8.html|url-status=dead}} In October 2013, Windows 8 mode on the developer channel changed to use a desktop environment mimicking the interface of ChromeOS with a dedicated windowing system and taskbar for web apps.{{cite web|title=Google is building Chrome OS straight into Windows 8|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/5/4806562/google-building-chrome-os-into-windows-8|work=The Verge|date=October 5, 2013|access-date=October 5, 2013|archive-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116151626/https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/5/4806562/google-building-chrome-os-into-windows-8|url-status=live}} This was removed on version 49 and users that have upgraded to Windows 10 will lose this feature.{{Cite web

|url= https://productforums.google.com/forum//chrome/44StwlC3Gz0

|title= Unable to open Google Chrome in windows 8 mode – Google Product Forums

|access-date= September 29, 2016

|archive-date= January 1, 2021

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210101051149/https://productforums.google.com/forum//chrome/44StwlC3Gz0

|url-status= dead

}}

Google dropped support for Mac OS X 10.5 with the release of Chrome 22.{{cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2599452|title=Chrome no longer supports Mac OS X 10.5|publisher=Google Inc.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329153528/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2599452|archive-date=March 29, 2015}} Support for 32-bit versions of Chrome ended in November 2014 with the release of Chrome 39.{{cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/4660488?|title=Chrome updates on Mac 32-bit|website=Chrome help|publisher=Google Inc.|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-date=April 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417121955/https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?visit_id=638489531950229375-989933340&rd=1|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-32-bit-mac-discontinued-later-year|title=Google to Discontinue 32-bit Chrome for Mac Next Month|website=OMG! Chrome!|date=September 4, 2014|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215210720/https://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-32-bit-mac-discontinued-later-year/|url-status=live}} Support for Mac OS X 10.6, OS X 10.7, and OS X 10.8 ended in April 2016 with the release of Chrome 50. Support for OS X 10.9 ended in April 2018 with the release of Chrome 66. Support for OS X 10.10 ended in January 2021 with the release of Chrome 88. Support for OS X 10.11 and macOS 10.12 ended in August 2022 with the release of Chrome 104.{{Citation needed|date=July 2018}} Support for macOS 10.13 and macOS 10.14 ended in September 2023 with the release of Chrome 117.{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/chromium-dev/c/z-d1QfKuoBU |title=M116 will be the last Chromium to support macOS 10.13 and 10.14 |website=groups.google.com |date=January 27, 2023 |access-date=June 27, 2023 |archive-date=June 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627065110/https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/chromium-dev/c/z-d1QfKuoBU |url-status=live }} Support for macOS 10.15 ended in September 2024 with the release of Chrome 129.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/google-chrome-ending-support-macos-catalina/ |title=Google Chrome is ending support for macOS Catalina |website=www.androidpolice.com |date=August 9, 2024 |access-date=August 11, 2024}}

{{Main|ChromeOS}}

Google Chrome is the basis of Google's ChromeOS operating system that ships on specific hardware from Google's manufacturing partners.{{cite magazine |author=Dylan F. Tweney |date=November 19, 2009 |title=Gadget Lab Hardware News and Reviews Google Chrome OS: Ditch Your Hard Drives, the Future Is the Web |url=https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/google-chrome-os-ditch-your-hard-drives-the-future-is-the-web/ |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409144108/https://www.wired.com/2009/11/google-chrome-os-ditch-your-hard-drives-the-future-is-the-web/ |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |access-date=November 22, 2009}} The user interface has a minimalist design resembling the Google Chrome browser. ChromeOS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Web; the only applications on the devices are a browser incorporating a media player and a file manager.{{cite web |last1=Sengupta |first1=Caesar |last2=Papakipos |first2=Matt |date=November 19, 2009 |title=Releasing the Chromium OS open source project |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/11/releasing-chromium-os-open-source.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Official Google Blog |archive-date=September 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930083903/https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/11/releasing-chromium-os-open-source.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Stokes |first=Jon |date=January 20, 2010 |title=Google talks Chrome OS, HTML5, and the future of software |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2010/01/chrome-os-interview-1/ |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312050523/https://arstechnica.com/business/2010/01/chrome-os-interview-1/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Womack |first=Brian |date=July 8, 2009 |title=Google to Challenge Microsoft With Operating System |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aTd2k.YdQZ.Y |access-date=July 8, 2009 |website=Bloomberg }}{{cite news |last=Hansell |first=Saul |date=July 8, 2009 |title=Would you miss Windows with a Google operating system? |work=The New York Times |url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/would-you-miss-windows-with-a-google-operating-system/ |access-date=July 8, 2009 |archive-date=July 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710021639/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/would-you-miss-windows-with-a-google-operating-system/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Pichai |first1=Sundar |last2=Upson |first2=Linus |date=July 7, 2009 |title=Introducing the Google Chrome OS |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=Official Google Blog |archive-date=November 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122222918/https://googleblog.blogspot.no/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html |url-status=live }}

Google announced ChromeOS on July 7, 2009.{{cite web |last=Mediati |first=Nick |date=July 7, 2009 |title=Google Announces Chrome OS |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/168028/google_announces_chrome_os.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119024148/http://www.pcworld.com/article/168028/google_announces_chrome_os.html |archive-date=January 19, 2010 |access-date=July 8, 2009 |website=PC World |publisher=IDG}}

{{update|section|date=June 2019}}

Google Chrome was met with acclaim upon release. In 2008, Matthew Moore of The Daily Telegraph summarized the verdict of early reviewers: "Google Chrome is attractive, fast and has some impressive new features..."{{cite news |first=Matthew |last=Moore |title=Google Chrome browser: Review of reviews |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358306/Google-Chrome-browser-Review-of-reviews.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358306/Google-Chrome-browser-Review-of-reviews.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=September 24, 2011 |date=September 2, 2008 |work=Daily Telegraph }}{{cbignore}}

Initially, Microsoft reportedly played down the threat from Chrome and predicted that most people would embrace Internet Explorer 8. Opera Software said that "Chrome will strengthen the Web as the biggest application platform in the world".{{Cite news|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/09/03/google-polishes-product-line-with-chrome-browser.html|work=The Jakarta Post|title=Google polishes product line with Chrome browser|first=Michael|last=Liedtke|date=September 3, 2008|agency=Associated Press|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623142424/https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/09/03/google-polishes-product-line-with-chrome-browser.html|archive-date=June 23, 2012}} But by February 25, 2010, BusinessWeek had reported that "For the first time in years, energy and resources are being poured into browsers, the ubiquitous programs for accessing content on the Web. Credit for this trend{{snd}}a boon to consumers{{snd}}goes to two parties. The first is Google, whose big plans for the Chrome browser have shaken Microsoft out of its competitive torpor and forced the software giant to pay fresh attention to its own browser, Internet Explorer. Microsoft all but ceased efforts to enhance IE after it triumphed in the last browser war, sending Netscape to its doom. Now it's back in gear."{{Cite journal |url=https://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_10/b4169074693523.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301162216/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_10/b4169074693523.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 1, 2010 |title=Browser Wars: The Sequel |first=Rich |last=Jaroslovsky |journal=BusinessWeek |date=February 25, 2010 }} Mozilla said that Chrome's introduction into the web browser market comes as "no real surprise", that "Chrome is not aimed at competing with Firefox", and furthermore that it would not affect Google's revenue relationship with Mozilla.{{cite web |url= https://john.jubjubs.net/2008/09/01/thoughts-on-chrome-more/ |title= Thoughts on Chrome & More |website= John's Blog |date= September 1, 2008 |access-date= May 13, 2010 |archive-date= May 27, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100527064451/http://john.jubjubs.net/2008/09/01/thoughts-on-chrome-more |url-status= dead }}{{Cite journal |url=https://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/222147/mozilla-google-is-not-trying-to-kill-us.html |title=Mozilla: Google's not trying to kill us |first=Barry |last=Collins |date=September 2, 2008 |website=PC Pro |publisher=Dennis Publishing |access-date=July 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210111805/https://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/222147/mozilla-google-is-not-trying-to-kill-us.html |archive-date=February 10, 2009 |url-status=dead }}

{{blockquote|Chrome's design bridges the gap between desktop and so-called "cloud computing." At the touch of a button, Chrome lets you make a desktop, Start menu, or QuickLaunch shortcut to any Web page or Web application, blurring the line between what's online and what's inside your PC. For example, I created a desktop shortcut for Google Maps. When you create a shortcut for a Web application, Chrome strips away all of the toolbars and tabs from the window, leaving you with something that feels much more like a desktop application than like a Web application or page.|PC World{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/150579/google_chrome_web_browser.html |title=Google Chrome Web Browser |first=Nick |last=Mediati |date=September 3, 2008 |access-date=September 7, 2008 |website=PC World |publisher=IDG |archive-date=September 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906202806/http://www.pcworld.com/article/150579/google_chrome_web_browser.html |url-status=dead }}}}

With its dominance in the web browser market, Google has been accused of using Chrome and Blink development to push new web standards that are proposed in-house by Google and subsequently implemented by its services first and foremost. These have led to performance disadvantages and compatibility issues with competing browsers, and in some cases, developers intentionally refusing to test their websites on any other browser than Chrome.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-28/google-s-chrome-becomes-web-gatekeeper-and-rivals-complain|title=Google's Chrome Becomes Web 'Gatekeeper' and Rivals Complain|date=May 28, 2019|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|access-date=May 28, 2019|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107231838/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-28/google-s-chrome-becomes-web-gatekeeper-and-rivals-complain|url-status=live}} Tom Warren of The Verge went as far as comparing Chrome to Internet Explorer 6, the default browser of Windows XP that was often targeted by competitors due to its similar ubiquity in the early 2000s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/4/16805216/google-chrome-only-sites-internet-explorer-6-web-standards|title=Chrome is turning into the new Internet Explorer 6|last=Warren|first=Tom|date=January 4, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=May 28, 2019|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105185450/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/4/16805216/google-chrome-only-sites-internet-explorer-6-web-standards|url-status=live}} In 2021, computer scientist and lawyer Jonathan Mayer stated that Chrome has increasingly become an agent for Google LLC than a user agent, as it is "the only major web browser that lacks meaningful privacy protections by default, shoves users toward linking activity with a Google Account, and implements invasive new advertising capabilities."

A class-action lawsuit seeking $5 billion in damages was filed against Google in 2020 on the grounds it misled consumers into thinking it would not track them when using incognito mode, despite using various means to do so. In December 2023, a settlement was reportedly agreed to, with public disclosure expected in February 2024.{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/12/30/1222268415/google-settles-5-billion-privacy-lawsuit |title=Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode' |website=NPR |access-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101000903/https://www.npr.org/2023/12/30/1222268415/google-settles-5-billion-privacy-lawsuit |url-status=live }}{{Update inline|date=November 2024}}

In June 2015, the Debian developer community discovered that Chromium 43 and Chrome 43 were programmed to download the Hotword Shared Module, which could enable the OK Google voice recognition extension, although by default it was "off". This raised privacy concerns in the media.{{Cite news|last=Falkvinge|first=Rick|author-link=Rick Falkvinge|date=June 18, 2015|title=Google Chrome Listening In To Your Room Shows The Importance Of Privacy Defense In Depth|language=en-US|work=Private Internet Access Blog|url=https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/google-chrome-listening-in-to-your-room-shows-the-importance-of-privacy-defense-in-depth/|access-date=April 7, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/not-ok-google-chromium-voice-extension-pulled-after-spying-concerns/|title=Not OK, Google: Chromium voice extension pulled after spying concerns|last=Bright|first=Peter|work=Ars Technica|access-date=April 7, 2018|language=en-us|archive-date=April 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010252/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/not-ok-google-chromium-voice-extension-pulled-after-spying-concerns/|url-status=live}} The module was removed in Chrome 45, which was released on September 1, 2015, and was only present in Chrome 43 and 44.{{cite web|url=https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/0366a5184a70b3eefb5fcef2c2e13721669f00d8%5E!/|title=Diff – 0366a5184a70b3eefb5fcef2c2e13721669f00d8^! - chromium/src – Git at Google|website=chromium.googlesource.com|access-date=September 26, 2017|archive-date=September 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927034254/https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/0366a5184a70b3eefb5fcef2c2e13721669f00d8%5E!/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.ca/2015/09/stable-channel-update.html|title=Chrome Releases: Stable Channel Update|work=googlechromereleases.blogspot.ca|access-date=September 1, 2015|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904231819/http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.ca/2015/09/stable-channel-update.html|url-status=live}}

Chrome sends details about its users and their activities to Google through both optional and non-optional user tracking mechanisms.{{Cite web |url=https://8ch.net/tech/chrome.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407160959/https://8ch.net/tech/chrome.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 7, 2018 |title=Welcome to the Botnet|date=April 7, 2018 |access-date=April 7, 2018}}

Some of the tracking mechanisms can be optionally enabled and disabled through the installation interface{{Cite web |url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/privacy/ |title=Google Chrome Privacy Notice |website=google.com |date=September 23, 2021 |access-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206071422/https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/privacy/ |url-status=live }} and through the browser's options dialog. Unofficial builds, such as SRWare Iron, seek to remove these features from the browser altogether. The RLZ library, which is used to measure the success of marketing promotions, is not included in the Chromium browser either.

In March 2010, Google devised a new method to collect installation statistics: the unique ID token included with Chrome is now used for only the first connection that Google Update makes to its server.{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/16/google_chrome_unique_identifier_change/|title=Google Chrome Unique Identifier Change|website=The Register|date=March 16, 2010|access-date=March 24, 2010|archive-date=January 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104185715/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/16/google_chrome_unique_identifier_change/|url-status=live}}

The optional suggestion service included in Google Chrome has been criticized because it provides the information typed into the Omnibox to the search provider before the user even hits return. This allows the search engine to provide URL suggestions, but also provides them with web use information tied to an IP address.{{cite web |first=Ina |last=Fried |title=Google's Omnibox could be Pandora's box |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/googles-omnibox-could-be-pandoras-box/ |website=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=October 7, 2008 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052551/https://www.cnet.com/news/googles-omnibox-could-be-pandoras-box/ |url-status=live }}

Chrome previously was able to suggest similar pages when a page could not be found. For this, in some cases Google servers were contacted.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/privacy/whitepaper.html#selection-1669.0-1672.0|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190509014827/https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/privacy/whitepaper.html#selection-1669.0-1672.0|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2019|title = Google Chrome Privacy Whitepaper}} The feature has since been removed.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

A 2019 review by Washington Post technology columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler found that in a typical week of browsing, Chrome allowed thousands more cookies to be stored than Mozilla Firefox. Fowler pointed out that because of its advertising businesses, despite the privacy controls it offers users, Google is a major producer of third-party cookies and has a financial interest in collecting user data; he recommended switching to Firefox, Apple Safari, or Chromium-based Brave.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/21/google-chrome-has-become-surveillance-software-its-time-switch/|title=Review | Goodbye, Chrome: Google's Web browser has become spy software|first=Geoffrey A.|last=Fowler|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=April 16, 2020|archive-date=April 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424020617/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/21/google-chrome-has-become-surveillance-software-its-time-switch/|url-status=live}}

In 2023, Google proposed a technology that claims to "hide the IP and traffic of its users" by routing Chrome traffic to Google servers. This has drawn criticism as all traffic is readily available for Google to use.{{cite web|url=https://www.admonsters.com/googles-ip-protection-advertisers-concerns/|title=Google's IP Protection Raises Concerns for Some Advertisers|website=AdMonsters|date=January 9, 2024 |access-date=August 8, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://github.com/GoogleChrome/ip-protection/issues|title=Google Chrome IP Protection Github Issue Tracker|website=GitHub|access-date=August 8, 2024}}

Also tied with Google is its advertising business, which, given the vast market share of Chrome, sought to introduce features that protects this revenue stream, mainly the introduction of a cookie-tracking alternative named Federated Learning of Cohorts (FloC), which evolved into Topics, and Manifest V3 API changes for extensions.

{{main|Federated Learning of Cohorts|Privacy Sandbox#Criticism}}

In January 2021, Google stated it was making progress on developing privacy-friendly alternatives which would replace third-party cookies currently being used by advertisers and companies to track browsing habits. Google then promised to phase out the use of cookies in their web-browser in 2022, implementing their FLoC technology instead. The announcement triggered antitrust concerns from multiple countries for abusing the Chrome browser's market monopoly, with the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission both opening formal probes.{{cite web|title=Google Facing Fresh E.U. Inquiry Over Ad Technology|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/business/google-antitrust-european-union.html|date=2021-06-22|website=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083901/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/business/google-antitrust-european-union.html|archive-date=2023-04-15|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Schechner|first=Sam|date=January 25, 2021|title=Google Progresses Plan to Remove Third-Party Cookies|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-progresses-plan-to-remove-third-party-cookies-11611581604|access-date=January 25, 2021|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125160957/https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-progresses-plan-to-remove-third-party-cookies-11611581604|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Patel|first=Bowdeya Tweh and Sahil|date=January 14, 2020|title=Google Chrome to Phase Out Third-Party Cookies in Effort to Boost Privacy|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-chrome-to-phase-out-third-party-cookies-in-effort-to-boost-privacy-11579026834|access-date=January 25, 2021|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126025340/https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-chrome-to-phase-out-third-party-cookies-in-effort-to-boost-privacy-11579026834|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Schechner|first=Sam|date=January 8, 2021|title=Google Chrome Privacy Plan Faces U.K. Competition Probe|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-chrome-privacy-plan-faces-u-k-competition-probe-11610119589|access-date=January 25, 2021|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125003456/https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-chrome-privacy-plan-faces-u-k-competition-probe-11610119589|url-status=live}} The FLoC proposal also drew criticism from DuckDuckGo, Brave, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation for underestimating the ability of the API to track users online.{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Mitchell|date=April 9, 2021|title=DuckDuckGo promises to block Google's latest ad-tracking tech — if Google allows it|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/9/22376110/duckduckgo-privacy-floc-block-chrome-extension-advertising-tech|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=The Verge|language=en|archive-date=April 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419014533/https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/9/22376110/duckduckgo-privacy-floc-block-chrome-extension-advertising-tech|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Thurrott|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Thurrott|date=April 12, 2021|title=Brave is Blocking Google FLoC|url=https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/web-browsers/249046/brave-is-blocking-google-floc|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=Thurrott.com|language=en-US|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413155047/https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/web-browsers/249046/brave-is-blocking-google-floc|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=EFF technologist cites Google "breach of trust" on FLoC; key ad-tech change agent departs IAB Tech Lab|url=https://itega.org/2021/04/02/privacy-beat-eff-technologist-cites-google-breach-of-trust-on-floc-key-ad-tech-change-agent-departs-iab-tech-lab/|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=Information Trust Exchange Governing Association|archive-date=April 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412120500/https://itega.org/2021/04/02/privacy-beat-eff-technologist-cites-google-breach-of-trust-on-floc-key-ad-tech-change-agent-departs-iab-tech-lab/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Google's FLoC Is a Terrible Idea|url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/googles-floc-terrible-idea|website=Electronic Frontier Foundation|date=2021-03-03|access-date=June 19, 2023|archive-date=June 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626061452/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/googles-floc-terrible-idea|url-status=live}}

On January 25, 2022, Google announced it had killed off development of its FLoC technologies and proposed the new Topics API to replace it. Topics is similarly intended to replace cookies, using one's weekly web activity to determine a set of five interests. Topics are supposed to refresh every three weeks, changing the type of ads served to the user and not retaining the gathered data.{{Cite web|last=Roth|first=Emma|date=January 25, 2022|title=Google abandons FLoC, introduces Topics API to replace tracking cookies|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/25/22900567/google-floc-abandon-topics-api-cookies-tracking|access-date=January 25, 2022|website=The Verge|language=en|archive-date=April 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415173044/https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/25/22900567/google-floc-abandon-topics-api-cookies-tracking|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Li|first=Abner|date=January 25, 2022|title=Google drops FLoC and proposes new Topics API for replacing third-party cookies used by ads|url=https://9to5google.com/2022/01/25/google-topics-api-floc/|access-date=January 25, 2022|website=9to5Google|language=en-US|archive-date=January 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125160027/https://9to5google.com/2022/01/25/google-topics-api-floc/|url-status=live}}

Manifest V3 has faced criticism for changes to the WebRequest API used by ad blocking and privacy extensions to block and modify network connections.{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Google Chrome will limit ad blockers starting June 2024 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/11/google-chrome-will-limit-ad-blockers-starting-june-2024/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122183429/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/11/google-chrome-will-limit-ad-blockers-starting-june-2024/ |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |url-status=live}} The declarative version of WebRequest uses rules processed by the browser, rather than sending all network traffic through the extension, which Google stated would improve performance. However, DeclarativeWebRequest is limited in the number of rules that may be set, and the types of expressions that may be used. Additionally, the prohibition of remotely-hosted code will restrict the ability for filter lists to be updated independently of the extension itself. As the Chrome Web Store review process has an invariable length, filter lists may not be updated in a timely fashion.{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2023 |title=Inside the 'arms race' between YouTube and ad blockers |url=https://www.engadget.com/inside-the-arms-race-between-youtube-and-ad-blockers-140031824.html |website=Engadget |access-date=December 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202173537/https://www.engadget.com/inside-the-arms-race-between-youtube-and-ad-blockers-140031824.html |archive-date=December 2, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=December 1, 2023 |title=Chrome's next weapon in the War on Ad Blockers: Slower extension updates |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/12/chromes-next-weapon-in-the-war-on-ad-blockers-slower-extension-updates/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=December 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202173537/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/12/chromes-next-weapon-in-the-war-on-ad-blockers-slower-extension-updates/ |archive-date=December 2, 2023 |url-status=live}}

Google has been accused of using Manifest V3 to inhibit ad blocking software due to its vested interest in the online advertising market. Google cited performance issues associated with WebRequest, as well as its use in malicious extensions. In June 2019, it announced that it would increase the aforementioned cap from 30,000 to 150,000 entries to help quell concerns about limitations to filtering rules.{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Google promises to play nice with ad blockers (again) |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-promises-to-play-nice-with-ad-blockers-again/ |website=ZDNet |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233236/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-promises-to-play-nice-with-ad-blockers-again/ |archive-date=November 7, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Tung |first=Liam |date=January 23, 2019 |title=Google Chrome could soon kill off most ad-blocker extensions |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-could-soon-kill-off-most-ad-blocker-extensions/ |website=ZDNet |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219125215/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-could-soon-kill-off-most-ad-blocker-extensions/ |archive-date=December 19, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Mihalcik |first=Carrie |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Google says Chrome isn't killing ad-blocking extensions |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/google-chrome-isnt-killing-ad-blockers-safer-ghostery-disagrees/ |website=CNET |access-date=May 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223191845/https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/google-chrome-isnt-killing-ad-blockers-safer-ghostery-disagrees/ |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |url-status=live}} In 2021, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) issued a statement that Manifest V3 was "outright harmful to privacy efforts", as it would greatly limit the functionality of ad blocking extensions.{{Cite web |last=Barnett |first=Daly |date=December 9, 2021 |title=Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516085941/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening |archive-date=May 16, 2023 |url-status=live}}

In December 2022, Google announced the transition would be paused "in order to address developer feedback and deliver better solutions to migration issues." In November 2023, Google announced it would resume the transition to Manifest V3; support for Manifest V2 extensions would be removed entirely from non-stable builds of Chrome beginning June 2024.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-16 |title=Resuming the transition to Manifest V3 |url=https://developer.chrome.com/blog/resuming-the-transition-to-mv3/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Chrome for Developers |language=en |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122183430/https://developer.chrome.com/blog/resuming-the-transition-to-mv3/ |url-status=live }} Other Chromium-based web browsers will adopt Manifest V3, including Microsoft Edge.{{Cite web |title=Microsoft rolls out new Edge extensions API but promises to leave ad blockers alone |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-rolls-out-new-edge-extensions-api-but-promises-to-leave-ad-blockers-alone/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=ZDNET |language=en |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180224/https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-rolls-out-new-edge-extensions-api-but-promises-to-leave-ad-blockers-alone/ |url-status=live }} Manifest V3 support is being added to Mozilla Firefox's implementation of Chrome's extension API (WebExtensions) for compatibility reasons, but Mozilla has stated that its implementation would not contain limitations that affect privacy and content-blocking extensions, and that its implementation of V2 would not be deprecated.

In August 2024, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over search services.{{Cite news |last=Robins-Early |first=Nick |date=2024-08-06 |title=Google broke law to maintain online search monopoly, US judge rules |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/05/google-loses-antitrust-lawsuit |newspaper=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077 |access-date=2024-11-21}} In November 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) demanded that Google sell Chrome to stop Google from maintaining its monopoly in online search.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-21 |title=Google told to sell Chrome to end search monopoly |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp81ppr3l9go |website=BBC |access-date=2024-11-21}}

{{Further|Usage share of web browsers|Browser wars}}

File:Web browser usage share StatCounter.svg according to StatCounter{{cite web |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/ |title=Top 5 Browsers from December 2010 to December 2011 |website=StatCounter |access-date=January 8, 2012}}]]

Chrome overtook Firefox in November 2011, in worldwide usage. {{As of|2022|09}}, according to StatCounter, Google Chrome had 67% worldwide desktop usage share, making it the most widely used web browser.{{cite web|title=Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202209-202209-bar|website=StatCounter}}

It was reported by StatCounter, a web analytics company, that for the single day of Sunday, March 18, 2012, Chrome was the most used web browser in the world for the first time. Chrome secured 32.7% of the global web browsing on that day, while Internet Explorer followed closely behind with 32.5%.{{cite web | url=https://gs.statcounter.com/press/chrome-is-worlds-number-one-browser-for-a-day | title=Chrome is world's number one browser for a day | website=StatCounter | date=March 21, 2012}}

From May 14–21, 2012, Google Chrome was for the first time responsible for more Internet traffic than Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which long had held its spot as the most used web browser in the world.{{cite news | url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/tech/web/chrome-explorer-browser-wars/index.html | title=Chrome overtakes Internet Explorer as No. 1 browser -- maybe | work=CNN | date=May 21, 2012 | access-date=May 21, 2012}} According to StatCounter, 31.88% of web traffic was generated by Chrome for a sustained period of one week and 31.47% by Internet Explorer. Though Chrome had topped Internet Explorer for a single day's usage in the past, this was the first time it had led for one full week.{{cite web | url=https://mashable.com/2012/05/21/chrome-is-tops/ | title=Google Chrome Now the No. 1 Browser in the World |website=mashable.com | date=May 21, 2012 | last= Pachal |first= Peter}}

At the 2012 Google I/O developers' conference, Google claimed that there were 310 million active users of Chrome, almost double the number in 2011, which was stated as 160 million active users.{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/06/28/chrome-tops-310-million-users-almost-100-growth-over-last-year/ |title=Chrome tops 310 million users, almost 100% growth over last year |date=June 28, 2012}}

In June 2013, according to StatCounter, Chrome overtook Internet Explorer for the first time in the US.{{cite web|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-US-monthly-201306-201306-bar|title=Stats Counter US Monthly bar graph|date=June 2013|access-date=July 25, 2013}}

In August 2013, Chrome was used by 43% of internet users worldwide. This study was done by Statista, which also noted that in North America, 36% of people use Chrome, the lowest in the world.{{cite web|last=Fox|first=Zoe|date=August 14, 2013|url=https://mashable.com/2013/08/14/google-chrome-global-share/|title=43% of Global Web Surfers Choose Google Chrome|website=Mashable}}

{{bar box

|title=Desktop/laptop browser statistics

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|width=440px

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{{bar percent|Google Chrome|#A3FFA3|65.7|65.7%}}

{{bar percent|Microsoft Edge|#A3D3FF|13.37|13.37%}}

{{bar percent|Safari|#A3D3FF|8.23|8.23%}}

{{bar percent|Mozilla Firefox|#A3D3FF|6.02|6.02%}}

{{bar percent|Opera|#A3D3FF|2.91|2.91%}}

{{bar percent|Other|#A3A3A3|3.77|3.77%}}

{{bar gap|height=11}}

|caption=Desktop web browser market share according to StatCounter for March 2025{{cite web|title=Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202503-202503-bar|website=StatCounter Global Stats|access-date=April 6, 2025}}}}

In December 2010, Google announced that to make it easier for businesses to use Chrome they would provide an official Chrome MSI package. For business use it is helpful to have full-fledged MSI packages that can be customized via transform files (.mst){{snd}}but the MSI provided with Chrome is only a very limited MSI wrapper fitted around the normal installer, and many businesses find that this arrangement does not meet their needs.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=68519 |title=Change MSI from a wrapper to "full" MSI |date=January 4, 2011 |access-date=April 8, 2012}} The normal downloaded Chrome installer puts the browser in the user's local app data directory and provides invisible background updates, but the MSI package will allow installation at the system level, providing system administrators control over the update process{{cite web |first=Ryan |last=Paul |title=Google offering MSI to simplify Chrome enterprise deployment |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/google-offering-msi-to-simplify-chrome-enterprise-deployment/ |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |date=December 16, 2010 |access-date=March 9, 2017}}{{snd}}it was formerly possible only when Chrome was installed using Google Pack. Google also created group policy objects to fine-tune the behavior of Chrome in the business environment, for example by setting automatic updates intervals, disabling auto-updates, and configuring a home page.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/support/installer/bin/answer.py?&answer=146164 |title=Google Update for Enterprise – Google Help |access-date=July 11, 2012}} Until version 24 the software is known not to be ready for enterprise deployments with roaming profiles or Terminal Server/Citrix environments.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=2423 |title=Issue 2423 – chromium – Windows Roaming Profile support – An open-source browser project to help move the web forward. – Google Project Hosting |date=September 17, 2008 |access-date=April 8, 2012}}

In 2010, Google first started supporting Chrome in enterprise environments by providing an MSI wrapper around the Chrome installer. Google starting providing group policy objects, with more added each release,{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7679408?hl=en|title=Chrome Enterprise release notes – Google Chrome Enterprise Help|website=support.google.com}} and today there are more than 500 policies available to control Chrome's behavior in enterprise environments.{{Cite web|url=https://cloud.google.com/docs/chrome-enterprise/policies|title=Chrome Enterprise Policy List & Management | Documentation|website=Google Cloud}}

In 2016, Google launched Chrome Browser Enterprise Support, a paid service enabling IT admins access to Google experts to support their browser deployment.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/22/google-launches-chrome-enterprise-for-businesses-that-want-to-use-chrome-os/|title=Google launches Chrome Enterprise subscription service for Chrome OS|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=August 25, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112024333/https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_bbc2d00c-0a49-4fb8-8660-cbb7b65b59e0|url-status=live}} In 2019, Google launched Chrome Browser Cloud Management, a dashboard that gives business IT managers the ability to control content accessibility, app usage and browser extensions installed on its deployed computers.{{cite web|url = https://siliconangle.com/2019/04/11/google-intros-centralized-controls-chrome-browser-deployments/|title = Google debuts centralized controls for Chrome browser deployments |access-date = May 6, 2020|last = Wheatley|first = Mike |work = siliconangle.com|date = April 11, 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190412194815/https://siliconangle.com/2019/04/11/google-intros-centralized-controls-chrome-browser-deployments/|archive-date =April 12, 2019 }}

{{Main|Chromium (web browser)}}

In September 2008, Google released a large portion of Chrome's source code as an open-source project called Chromium. This move enabled third-party developers to study the underlying source code and to help port the browser to the macOS and Linux operating systems. The Google-authored portion of Chromium is released under the permissive BSD license.{{cite web|title=Home (Chromium Developer Documentation)|url=https://dev.chromium.org/Home|access-date=May 5, 2009|year=2009|work=Chromium Developer Documentation}} Other portions of the source code are subject to a variety of open-source licenses.{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/chromium/terms.html |title=Chromium Terms and Conditions |date=September 2, 2008 |access-date=September 3, 2008 |work=Google Code |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904201317/https://code.google.com/chromium/terms.html |archive-date=September 4, 2008 }} Chromium is similar to Chrome, but lacks built-in automatic updates and a built-in Flash player, as well as Google branding and has a blue-colored logo instead of the multicolored Google logo.{{cite web|url = https://code.google.com/p/chromium/wiki/ChromiumBrowserVsGoogleChrome|title = ChromiumBrowserVsGoogleChrome |access-date =July 10, 2011|last = Chromium Project|date=March 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://weblog.infoworld.com/fatalexception/archives/2008/09/building_google.html |title=Building Google Chrome: A first look |last=McAllister |first=Neil |date=September 11, 2008 |work=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |access-date=September 16, 2008 |quote=As the name suggests, Chromium is a rawer, less polished version of Chrome. The UI is mostly identical, with only a few very minor visual differences. [...] The most readily evident difference is the logo, which sheds the Google colors in favor of a subdued blue design. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913214424/https://weblog.infoworld.com/fatalexception/archives/2008/09/building_google.html |archive-date=September 13, 2008 }} Chromium does not implement user RLZ tracking.{{cite web | url=https://blog.chromium.org/2010/06/in-open-for-rlz.html | title=In The Open, For RLZ | website=The Chromium Blog | date=June 2, 2010 | access-date=June 20, 2010}}{{cite web|title=Google Chrome, Chromium, and Google|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2008/10/google-chrome-chromium-and-google.html|date=October 1, 2008|website=The Chromium Blog}}{{cite web|title=Differences between Google Chrome and Linux distro Chromium|url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/wiki/ChromiumBrowserVsGoogleChrome|access-date=September 1, 2010|year=2010}} Initially, the Google Chrome PDF viewer, PDFium, was excluded from Chromium, but was later made open-source in May 2014.{{cite web|url=https://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome?view=revision&revision=271531 |title=Chromium revision log: Changes in revision 271531 |date=May 20, 2014 |access-date=May 24, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/p/chromium/source/diff?spec=svn4547&r=4547&format=side&path=/wiki/ChromiumBrowserVsGoogleChrome.wiki |title=Change log for Chromium wiki showing removal of a part that said PDF support were different between Chromium and Google Chrome |date=May 20, 2014 |access-date=May 24, 2014}} PDFium can be used to fill PDF forms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.itproportal.com/2014/06/19/google-throws-pdfium-into-the-open-source-community/|title=Google throws PDFium into the open source community|last=Garthwaite|first=Emily|website=IT Pro Portal|date=June 19, 2014|access-date=September 11, 2016}}

It is possible to develop applications, extensions, and themes for Chrome. They are zipped in a .crx file and contain a manifest.json file that specifies basic information (such as version, name, description, privileges, etc.), and other files for the user interface (icons, popups, etc.). Google has an official developer's guide on how to create, develop, and publish projects.{{cite web |url=https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/devguide |title=Developer's Guide – Google Chrome |website=Developer.chrome.com |date=September 17, 2012 |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118040743/https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/devguide |url-status=dead }} Chrome has its own web store where users and developers can upload and download these applications and extensions.{{cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/ |title=Chrome Web Store |website=chrome.google.com}}

As with Microsoft Internet Explorer, the popularity of Google Chrome has led to the appearance of malware abusing its name. In late 2015, an adware replica of Chrome named "eFast" appeared, which would usurp the Google Chrome installation and hijack file type associations to make shortcuts for common file types and communication protocols link to itself, and inject advertisements into web pages. Its similar-looking icon was intended to deceive users.{{cite news |title=Latest in Malware: eFast Browser Attacks with False Google Chrome, Traps Users with Adware |url=https://baymcp.com/latest-in-malware-efast-browser-attacks-with-false-google-chrome-traps-users-with-adware/ |website=Bay Computing |access-date=September 11, 2021 |date=March 30, 2017}}{{cite web |title=Clever Malware Replaces Web Browser with Dangerous 'eFast' Chrome Lookalike |url=https://www.enigmasoftware.com/malware-replaces-web-browser-efast-chrome-lookalike/ |website=Remove Spyware & Malware with SpyHunter – EnigmaSoft Ltd |access-date=September 11, 2021 |date=October 20, 2015}}{{cite web |title=eFast Browser Removal Guide |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-efast-browser |website=Bleeping Computer |access-date=September 11, 2021 |language=en-us |date=October 28, 2015}}

{{Portal|Internet}}

• Browser wars
• Google Chrome Experiments
• Google Chrome Frame
• Google Workspace
• History of web browsers
• List of Google products
• List of web browsers
• Widevine

{{Reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist

|refs =

{{cite web |url = https://chrome.blogspot.com/2011/03/fresh-take-on-icon.html |title = A fresh take on an icon |last = Rura |first = Steve |date = March 2011 |access-date = March 22, 2011 }}

{{cite web |url = https://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2010/01/stable-channel-update_25.html|title=Stable Channel Update |last = Laforge |first = Anthony |access-date = May 25, 2010 }}

{{cite web |url = https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=143 |title = Issue 143: Handle color profiles in tagged images |website = Code.google.com |date = September 2, 2008 |access-date = March 23, 2013 }}

{{cite news |url = https://chrome.blogspot.com/2012/11/securing-flash-player-for-our-mac-users.html |title = Securing Flash Player for our Mac users |newspaper = Google Chrome Blog |access-date = November 14, 2012 }}

}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{YouTube|Naol_TPPPL0|Google I/O 2009 - Exploring Chrome Internals}}, presented by Darin Fisher, a member of the Chrome team

{{Timeline of web browsers|2010s}}

{{Web browsers|active}}

{{Google LLC}}

{{Rich Internet applications}}

{{authority control}}

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